Is CHAOS: The Manson Murders based on a true story? Explained

Netflix is set to release another true crime documentary, CHAOS: The Manson Murders. Directed by Errol Morris, the documentary is set for release on March 7, 2025, and will shed new light on one of the most disturbing killing sprees in American history.

Netflix has an extensive true crime library, including documentaries like American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson and dramatizations like Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. CHAOS: The Manson Murders challenges the official accounts of the infamous killing spree carried out by Charles Manson.

Manson and his so-called "family" resided at the now-infamous Spahn Ranch. Manson was an ex-con and wannabe musician who had tried to get a record deal with record producer Terry Melcher.

The upcoming documentary explores the true story of the murders orchestrated by Manson through his cult followers. It also examines the influence of key figures and powerful institutions involved in the case.

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The true story behind CHAOS: The Manson Murders

In 1969, Charles Manson's cult followers infamously killed seven people in Los Angeles. Among the victims was Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of filmmaker Roman Polanski. The Tate-LaBianca murders sent shockwaves through Hollywood, leaving everyone asking the same question: how did Manson convince his followers to commit such an atrocity?

In a Netflix Tudum article dated February 21, 2025, Oscar-winning director Errol Morris reflected on the case:

I’ve found myself trapped in a number of different true-crime stories, and the Manson murders are peculiar. You could encapsulate the mystery in just one question: How is it that Manson managed to convince the people around him that killing was okay?

On August 8-9, 1969, Sharon Tate, who was eight and a half months pregnant, had guests over at her home at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles. Manson's followers barged into the house. They stabbed Tate and four of her friends, Abigail Folger, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, and Steven Parent, to death.

In the early morning hours of August 10, Manson's followers killed supermarket executive Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary LaBianca. The murders shocked the city and led to a manhunt. The perpetrators were later arrested and faced trials for their crimes.

In April 1971, Manson and four of his followers, Leslie Van Houten, Tex Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Susan Atkins, were sentenced to death. However, the then-current death penalty laws were deemed unconstitutional, and they were resentenced to life in prison.

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CHAOS: The Manson Murders is based on the book published in 2019

The upcoming Netflix documentary is based on the non-fiction book CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O'Neill and Dan Piepenbring. The book offers a deep investigation into Manson's murders, CIA conspiracies, and the hidden forces that shaped the cultural and political landscape of the 1960s.

In 1999, O'Neill, an entertainment reporter, accepted a three-month assignment from Premiere magazine to investigate how the Tate-LaBianca murders impacted Hollywood. However, he missed the deadline and ended up pursuing the research for two decades.

CHAOS: The Manson Murders explores the covert motives that may have led Manson and his family members to commit those egregious crimes. The documentary features engaging interviews, archival visuals, and music created by Manson himself.