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May 21st, 2008
06:23 PM ET

Manson's Death Valley ranch: bullets and bones

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/05/21/art.mansonranch.jpg caption= "Investigators and scientists search for evidence at the Barker Ranch in Death Valley"]
Ted Rowlands
CNN correspondent

We’re up in the remote Barker Ranch in Death Valley for day two of the search for human remains. This is a big day on a lot of people.

For Charles Manson fanatics it may be the day that rumors of murder at the Barker ranch will be verified.

For forensic scientists from the national lab in Oak Rridge, Tennessee, it may be a confirmation of the soil data compiled that prompted them to recommend a dig.

For Sgt. Paul Dostie, the local police detective who along with his dog Buster found the five dig sites a year ago, today may be the day that he feels vindicated for pushing authorities to dig or as he puts, he may end up “feeling like a fool”.

So far no sign of bodies, two of five sites have been excavated turning up a bullet casing and some animal bones.

Tex Watson, Charlie Manson’s right hand man, told us in a letter from jail that he never killed anyone at the Barker Ranch. Tex did admit to taking part in the killings of Sharon Tate and five others as part of Manson’s Helter Skelter murder spree.

The dig is scheduled to conclude tomorrow, so there’s a good chance if there are bodies up there, they’ll find them today.


Filed under: Crime & Punishment • Ted Rowlands
soundoff (3 Responses)
  1. Annie Kate

    I'll be glad when the question is settled about if there are bodies or not. Hope if any are found they can be identified so their families at least know what happened.

    Annie Kate
    Birmingham AL

    May 21, 2008 at 10:09 pm |
  2. Dominic Haberman Hattiesburg, MS

    If it leads to the discovery of remains that will give closer to any families with a missing relative it will well be worth it. I'm just tired of the media giving any more attention to the pathetic loser Charles Manson. When it comes down to it, he was a miserable failure and wanna-be musician that didn't even have the courage to commit his own crimes.

    May 21, 2008 at 8:43 pm |
  3. Cindy

    Honestly with all of that land around the ranch it will be a miracle if they find any remains at all! There probably is some but it will be extremely hard to find out there. It would take months to really search that place correctly. And why do they only have two days to search it?

    May 21, 2008 at 7:05 pm |