What did Leslie Van Houten do? Role in Manson Murders explored as ex-follower is released from prison after 53 years

Late American criminal Charles Manson's follower, Leslie Van Houten, was released from a California prison on July 11. She was jailed for participating in the murders of Leno LaBianca and Rosemary at the age of 19. The now 73-year-old has served 53 years behind bars after getting convicted in 1969.

While speaking to The Guardian, Van Houten's attorney Nancy Tetreault said that her client was released in the early morning hours from prison and will be under "parole supervision." She is currently at a transitional housing facility. Tetreault said that Leslie is "really thrilled" to be released from prison, noting that she is being recognized as a completely reformed human being.

"I’ve never had a client who has dedicated herself to reform like she has. She spent 40 years in therapy and 30 years in what they call rehabilitative programming. She fell under the influence of Charles Manson and participated in these horrible murders … and she worked really hard to get past that cult indoctrination and to understand it and take responsibility. And she had to confront her feelings of crushing guilt over what she did. She’s very remorseful. I think she’s just happy that her crimes are no longer defining her.”

California's parole board had ruled Leslie Van Houten to be "suitable" for release from jail on five separate occasions, but every time the governor's office would veto the decision. However, in May, her attorney made a challenge and a state appeals court ruled that she should be released.

The court acknowledged her accomplishments while in jail, which included working as a tutor, obtaining a master's degree in humanities, and taking part in a variety of mental health and self-help activities. She also had no major disciplinary records while her time in prison.

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Leslie Van Houten was found guilty of participating in a California double-murder case

In 1969, when she was 19, Leslie Van Houten was arrested and charged for participating in the murders of Leno, a local grocer, and his wife Rosemary LaBianca.

Charles Manson directed her, Tex Watson, and Patricia Krenwinkel to break into the couple's house and murder them.

Watson allegedly attempted to strangle Rosemary, but she grabbed a lamp and threw it at Van Houten. Van Houten allegedly restrained Rosemary while Krenwinkel repeatedly stabbed her in the torso.

However, the knife allegedly got jammed in one of Rosemary's bones. By then, Watson had already killed Leno by stabbing him multiple times. Leslie Van Houten then allegedly butchered Rosemary's glute area and lower back and stabbed her for more than 12 times.

Soon after, Van Houten was arrested and helped the police with their investigation into the LaBianca murders. The murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca happened just a day after Charles Manson's followers slayed Sharon Tate and four other people, raising eyebrows across Los Angeles.

Leslie Van Houten was found guilty of the double murder case in 1970 and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of first-degree murder.

As for her fellow Charles Manson follower, Krenwinkel, she was granted parole in 2022 but Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed against her release. Susan Atkins, who was charged with eight murders, died in 2009 while serving her jail time.

Their leader, Manson, also died in prison after serving almost 50 years of his sentence, in 2017.