Born on January 24, 1943, in Dallas, Sharon Tate was one of the most beautiful models and actresses in the United States and was destined for a life of light and fame. However, her life was brutally cut short when, on August 9, 1969, members of the Manson Family , followers of Charles Manson, broke into her Beverly Hills home and stabbed her 16 times.

Tate was just two weeks pregnant and due to give birth. Along with her , Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Steven Parent, and Voyteck Frytowski were executed at the mansion Tate shared with her husband, film director Roman Polanski, who was in London at the time , separated from his wife because he disagreed with her decision to continue with the pregnancy.

That night of August 9th marked the end of a life of torment and fame for one of the most beautiful women of the era. An actress with little natural talent—” I can’t see myself doing Shakespeare ,” she once said—who, after her death, experienced an unexpected surge in popularity. The revelations about her tormented life with the filmmaker were made by Ed Sanders , author of the recently published book , Sharon Tate: A Life .

Actress Sharon Tate (Twentieth Century Fox)

Within its pages, the book offers a glimpse into the difficult path the model and actress traveled. At 17, after winning several beauty pageants, she was raped by a soldier she had met on a date. She kept it a secret for the rest of her life and only confessed it to the man who, years later, would become her husband: Polanski, whose intelligence and vitality captivated her immediately.

But before the director came into her life, Tate had been engaged to French actor Philippe Forquet , with whom she had a violent relationship, as the author reveals in his book. Their relationship ended abruptly. Steve McQueen and Jay Sebring also passed through her life. Finally, Polanski won her over completely while they were both living in London. The excesses began, and after a night of 𝒹𝓇𝓊𝑔 use, they had 𝒔𝒆𝒙 for the first time. It was April 1966 when they decided to live together.

Sharon Tate’s body, after the murder committed by the Manson Family, in Los Angeles (AP)

Roman Polanski at the crime scene. The word “pig” was painted in blood on the door.

But with the excesses came orgies and a growing contempt Polanski showed for her, according to Sanders’ book. The director filmed these 𝒔𝒆𝒙𝒖𝒂𝒍 encounters with Tate and with strangers he met in London nightclubs . But also with occasional Hollywood stars, fascinated by the filmmaker. Polanski then screened these recordings for his friends.

Polanski’s control over Sharon was absolute. Joanna Pettet, a friend of the beautiful actress, told the author that the film director even dictated how she dressed and did her makeup: ” He controlled her entire life from the moment she met him .” In January 1968, they decided to get married.

But Sharon continued to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. Even knowing she would never star in major films, she set her sights on light comedies. That’s why she decided to move to Los Angeles . She rented a house, but Polanski chose to remain in Europe, where he was filming a movie. Upon their reunion, Tate introduced her husband to American society.

But things worsened. While Tate was on tour and spending days away from home, Polanski led a double life. He even brought lovers to the mansion they shared in Los Angeles while Sharon was away. The house they eventually decided to rent was the one where she would die: 10050 Cielo Drive , where parties, orgies, and excesses became commonplace .

But one day, Tate felt something strange happening to her body. Her suspicion was confirmed: she was pregnant, but she didn’t dare tell Polanski, knowing that the filmmaker hated the idea of ​​being a father. That’s why she waited until it was too late to have an abortion. When he found out, furious, the director demanded that she terminate the pregnancy in Brazil. She refused. ” You can’t do anything. It’s my child. I’m going to have it ,” she told him then. Polanski turned around and flew to London.

Things between them worsened, but they stayed together despite the distance between them. “ We have a good arrangement. Roman lies to me, and I pretend to believe him, ” Tate quipped when asked about their relationship. Polanski didn’t have 𝒔𝒆𝒙 with her, but discretion wasn’t one of his virtues: his affairs were public knowledge. However, those who knew them both insist that they were madly in love, even during the worst moments of their relationship.

Charles Manson died yesterday, Sunday, in a hospital, to which he was transferred from Corcoran State Prison, California, where he had been since 1989 when he was transferred.

The ill-fated house at 10050 Cielo Drive in Beverly Hills was owned by Terry Melcher, a music producer who rented it out, in this case to the Polanski family. Melcher knew Charles Manson , a musician who wanted to land a record deal that would make him famous. During their business relationship, the producer tried to connect the “artist” with Rudy Altobelli, who could potentially turn Manson into a star.

However, none of that happened. Furious, Manson ordered his followers to go to Melcher ‘s house and murder everyone inside. Blinded by rage, the members of the Manson Family killed Sharon Tate and her friends, among whom was not Melcher, Doris Day ‘s son . Polanski was still in Europe, even though the birth of his child was imminent. Tate ‘s body was found in the mansion’s main room, lying in a pool of blood. A rope was hanging from her neck, connecting her to Jay Sebring , who was lying a little over a meter away. Photos from the crime scene show Sharon Tate pregnant . Both she and her young son —Paul Richard Polanski— were buried together.

But according to the author, the story doesn’t end there. Sanders believes that—based on countless interviews—a British Satanic group, very active in Los Angeles at the time, was involved in the murder. This group, in turn, had ties to Robert F. Kennedy ‘s assassin , Sirhan Bishara Sirhan. According to information gathered by the book’s author, Sirhan had participated in 𝒔𝒆𝒙 parties at the Tate mansion , where he allegedly confessed details about the U.S. senator’s death. Sanders ‘ theory is that this British Satanic group hired Manson to commit the brutal crime and prevent Sharon from speaking out about what she had overheard.

The author exchanged correspondence with Manson, who died Sunday after being held at Corcoran State Prison in California. In his letter, he asked if it was true that Manson had been paid $25,000 for the murder of Sharon Tate . The killer refused to answer.