CSI Manson: Killer's Refuge Revisited

(AP)  Decades after law enforcement raided the ranch where Charles Manson hid following a 1969 killing spree, detectives and scientists are returning to hunt for undiscovered graves.

The dig scheduled to begin Tuesday will be led by sheriff's officials, with help from specialists in detecting disturbed soils and chemical markers that indicate likely grave sites.

The expedition to the secluded ranch is expected to last through Thursday and will take investigators into the Panamint Mountain range, within Death Valley National Park, where temperatures are forecast to surpass 100 degrees.

For years, rumors have swirled about other possible Manson victims - hitchhikers who visited the ranch and were not seen again, and runaways who drifted into the camp, then fell out of favor.

The decision to further investigate the site where Manson and his followers hid following the murders of actress Sharon Tate and six others came after initial tests in February found at least two sites that could be graves.

A group including two national lab researchers, a police investigator with a cadaver-sniffing dog, and an anthropologist with a magnetic resonance reader determined there was enough evidence to contact the Inyo County Sheriff's Department.

After further soil sampling with inconsistent results, Sheriff Bill Lutze agreed to the exploratory excavation. The National Park Service has closed the ranch to the public for the duration of the dig.

The searchers will use technology that wasn't available when Manson and his followers were arrested nearly 40 years ago, such as radar, magnetometers and portable gas-chromatograph and mass spectrometers that can detect chemical markers characteristic of bodies in decomposition. They will also dig with shovels, Lutze said.

Manson is serving a life sentence at Corcoran State Prison.

[taylor2124]

Too bad they can''t take Manson himself out there and bury him on the ranch. Bury him up to his neck and leave him alive out there, that is.

[anonbychoice]

Thats it, Spahn. I read the book years ago and knew it played a role somewhere. Thanks for the info.

[rodgert-2009]

If you wanna live to be really old,Get a death sentence

[rodgert-2009]

the Spahn Ranch???

[anonbychoice]

someone moved my keys....ranch not rance

[anonbychoice]

I googled the name, Barker Ranch. Where did the "spa" rance(unsure of spelling) come in at?

[johnny_chaos]

Manson is a joke.

[montanaman9]

The ranch has a name, but the article fails to say it (unbelievable). Anyone know?

[haoli25]

maybe if they find another body or two they can try him again and this time go for the death penalty.
Posted by chiefsatw

Are you insane? Manson is 74 years old, people like Richard Ramirez have been waiting over 25 years for their death sentence to be carried out in California. Do you think Manson is going to live that much longer? lol

[observer2020]

faith_in_w: I can see that you are one of those bible thumpers who sit in the basement of churches in the dark listening to rock and roll music and calling it anti-religious and wanting it banned. Ok, Hitler, burn the CDs and all the beautiful music of the world. Music is something that cuts across all types boundries of life. Manson was one sick puppy who had the charisma to convince people into doing wrong things. People just have to be strong enough to say NO to creeps like that. I assume that you agree with the Jeffs clan that dictates everything that you say, do, and think. You have lemming thinking...just follow the crowd right off the cliff. I won''t be holding the net.