George Spahn George Spahn George Spahn (February 11, 1889 – September 22, 1974) was an American rancher who once owned the Spahn Ranch near Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California. Spahn (as did previous owner William S. Hart) rented the ranch to the movie industry to film Westerns. Spahn is chiefly remembered for his association with the Manson Family, due to his tolerance of the Manson group's residence on his property. At the ranch, Spahn housed Charles Manson and his followers in the late 60s. The 1969 murders of actress Sharon Tate and six others by Manson's devotees were allegedly hatched at the Spahn
Charles Manson was part of the journalist's prime-time special on Satanism. At least as early as the Snyder interview, Manson's forehead bore a swastika in the spot where the X carved during his trial had been. Nikolas Schreck conducted an interview with Manson for his documentary "Charles Manson Superstar" (1989). Schreck concluded that Manson was not insane but merely acting that way out of frustration. On September 25, 1984, Manson was imprisoned in the California Medical Facility at Vacaville when inmate Jan Holmstrom poured paint thinner on him and set him on fire, causing second- and third-degree burns on over 20 percent