THE FORGOTTEN TRAGEDY OF JAY SEBRING

Thomas Kummer, known as Jay Sebring, was a celebrity hair stylist, and the founder of the hairstyling corporation Sebring International. After graduating from Southfield High School (Michigan) in 1951, Sebring joined the Navy for four years, and during this time served in the Korean War. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he adopted the name Jay Sebring: Jay, after the first initial of his middle name, and Sebring after the famous Florida car race. In Los Angeles, he graduated from beauty school and promptly "invented a whole new way of cutting men's hair".

His innovations including shampooing men's hair before styling it, cutting their hair with scissors instead of clippers, and using blow dryers, which were popular in Europe but not well known in the United States. His hair styling clients included Warren Beatty and Steve McQueen. He flew to Las Vegas every three weeks to cut the hair of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.. His business, Sebring International, was flourishing by the late 1960s, with profitable salons in West Hollywood, New York City and London. Although not seeking an acting career himself, Sebring made a cameo appearance in the December 1966 episode of the TV show Batman, playing a character based on himself called Mr. Oceanbring. Sebring had been married from 1960 until getting divorced in 1963. He then had a romantic relationship from Sharon Tate from 1964 until 1966, and remained friends after the end of their romance.

In early May 1969, Sebring opened a new salon at 629 Commercial Street in San Francisco and a champagne reception followed. Guests included Abigail Folger and her mother, Ines, as well as Paul Newman and his wife, Joanne Woodward. Sebring was murdered along with Tate, Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, and Steve Parent on August 9, 1969 at Tate's home. He was shot and stabbed several times by Manson follower Tex Watson, and died from the massive loss of blood. Sebring is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield, Michigan. Steve McQueen gave the eulogy at Sebring's funeral...

THE VICTIMS OF CHARLES MANSON

The Tate-LaBianca murders, committed by members of the Charles Manson cult, resulted in the deaths of seven individuals in two separate locations in Los Angeles during August 1969...

Tate Murders (August 9, 1969 at 10050 Cielo Drive): 

Sharon Tate: 26, actress and wife of Roman Polanski, eight and a half months pregnant.
Jay Sebring: 35, celebrity hairstylist.
Abigail Folger: 25, heiress to the Folgers coffee fortune.
Wojciech Frykowski: 32, aspiring screenwriter and friend of Roman Polanski.
Steven Parent: 18, visiting the property's caretaker.

 
LaBianca Murders (August 10, 1969 at 3301 Waverly Drive): 

Leno LaBianca: 44, grocery store executive.
Rosemary LaBianca: 38, wife of Leno LaBianca.

 
It is important to note that the Manson family were also convicted of two additional murders, those of Gary Hinman and Donald "Shorty" Shea, which occurred in July and August 1969 respectively.

CHARLES MANSON: MYSTERIES AND THEORIES

The exact reasons behind the Tate-LaBianca murders of August 9 and 10, 1969 remain debated. The prosecution, led by Vincent Bugliosi, argued the killings were instigated by Manson's delusional interpretation of the Beatles' song "Helter Skelter" to ignite a race war. This is still a widely accepted theory, but other possibilities have been suggested, such as:

Attempt to frighten music executive Terry Melcher: Some theorize Manson directed his followers to target the Cielo Drive home to send a message to Melcher, who previously lived there and had refused to offer Manson a recording contract.

Retaliation for a botched drug deal: A business partner of victim Jay Sebring suggested the murders might have been connected to a failed drug deal.

Manson's paranoia: A former associate suggested Manson used the killings to maintain control over his followers.

A central aspect of the mystery is how Manson, a charismatic yet dangerous individual with a troubled past, managed to convince his followers to commit heinous crimes in his name. This raises questions about his manipulative skills and the vulnerabilities of the young people he targeted.

Some theories, explored in documentaries like "Chaos: The Manson Murders," suggest Manson may have had connections to government programs related to mind control or brainwashing, such as the CIA's MKUltra project. However, these theories are disputed and lack definitive proof.

While Manson and several followers were convicted for the murders of seven people, including Sharon Tate and the LaBiancas, Manson is believed to be responsible for as many as 35 murders, with many cases remaining untried due to insufficient evidence. Ultimately, the "Manson mystery" stems from the shocking nature of the crimes, the ambiguity surrounding Manson's true motives, and the unsettling questions about how one person could lead others to commit such horrific acts...