Cielo Drive has been
gathering more and more documents for his Patreon website. Some of the things
he has been able to obtain are very enlightening. Below is a letter that Melba
Kronkright wrote to someone in law enforcement or the district attorney's
office regarding her dealings with Charles Manson and members of the Family. One
thing is certain, Mrs. Kronkright was terrified that she would be killed by
Manson or his followers.
Mrs. Kronkright jumps around
a bit when retelling her dealings with Manson and the Family. While it is clear
that she knew them over a period of a couple of years, it’s difficult to pin
down the exact timeline of each incident that she recalls.
I am not sure who Diane
Adams was but think it might have been Dianne Lake. If anyone has an idea please post
what you know in the comments.
December 15, 1969
Dear Sirs:
I keep getting phone calls
that are unanswered after I speak hellow into the receiver.
I have also written a letter
to the attorney Mr. Paul Caruso.
I am a widow and live alone
at the above address and about two years ago I found a group of young
unemployed people through a Mr. Sweeney. A service station owner here in
Malibu. The group were the Charles Manson people. I needed their services to
clean the stables and help on my property and home of four and one half acres
in Malibu. I am in fear for my life and will give all of the reasons I can
think of.
About two years ago as I
have said Charles Manson directed various ones in his group to work at least
once a week on my property. They were paid at first then I explained that a
good sum of money was owed to me and that until that time I didn’t have money
to continue their service of once a week. They continued to come here for at
least six months from time to time and say they just wanted to help and didn’t
expect me to pay them. One of the girls had had a baby and they had all been
arrested for camping out on private property in Ventura county. The baby was
just five days old. Mary Brunner the mother was charged with child neglect and
kept in jail. Others came here knowing that I was a social worker and told me
that Mary had promised to take the baby and go back to Eu Clair Wis. to Mr.
& Mrs. George Brunner her parents. She was released in my custody. Mary
used my address as her new address but stayed only one night. She did not go
home as promised.
Early part of last August I
received a phone call from Mary saying that she was in Sybil Brand jail and it
would take sixty four dollars to bail her out with a property owners signature.
I told her that my daughter is a police sargent and that if I put my name on
any thing it could be traced and I would then be thought of as helping them do
what got them in jail and I could be in trouble. My daughter is Mrs. Roy Hovas,
Sherl Rae Hovas or Sargent Hovas. Then Charles Manson came here in the middle
of the night and said that he needed money to get Mary out of jail. I told him
that I didn’t have any money but if I did that I would only get myself in
trouble in helping them that my daughter was a police sargent etc. He left, but
I’m sure that this was the same night the couple that owned the grocery store
was killed.
I feel had I received the
money that they had been expecting me to and not given them what they asked for
that they would have killed me. He had asked had I received my money as yet.
When Mary was in jail I
called her mother to come out and get custody of the child (Michael). I again
called Marys’ mother and told her after the Tate murder case was disclosed that
not to ever tell Mary that I was the one that told her that Mary was in jail
and to come here to get the baby.
At the time Charles Manson
was coming here and directing his group to work he would talk to me in the
kitchen about his views on the Negro situation. I told him how as a social
worker I was in the mist of the Negro situation in the Gettos. He tried to discourage
my efforts. Therefore, this if nothing else would have been a reason to direct
the blame on the negros to have killed me. He also told me that there were many
people as his followers all over the United States that at his word could start
a war.
In my letter to Mr. Paul
Caruso I gave names of most of the group that I had met at one time or another.
I also told Mr. Caruso that if he defended these people to let them out on
society that my death was next.
I just reread my letter to
you and you can tell I am more than a little upset. I have pictures of Charles
Manson and a picture taken by Mary Brunners mother of Mary and the baby since
Mary was released if she would return to her parents. The letter from Mrs.
Brunner speaks of it’s self in gratitude.
I don’t feel that we have
seen the last of this mess. As long as the many young women that Manson
fathered their children are out and about - with loyalty and love for him -
there is going to be effort put forth to help him. Such as Lynn Frome, Sandy
Pugh, Ella Cinders, Mary Brunner, Diane Adams and many, many more that I met
but can’t recall their names.
I talked to Diane Adams
father at the time she escaped from Silmar (indistinguishable). I told him to
get Charles Manson. I said that Manson was the one that told me that he helped
her escape and got her over to Arizona. Mr. Adams seemed relieved that he
didn’t have to worry about her coming into his home and bringing such people
and taking his car in the middle of the night etc.
Mr. Adams called me just
before the news came out the Tate case was solved. He said that his daughter
was on a boat up the coast the last time her heard from her. I know of at least
three girls that have babies that know that Manson is the father. Mr. Adams
also told me I was lucky to not have been killed by the Manson group.
I hope that something in
this letter will help and because I pay three hundred dollars a month taxes
that I can expect some extra thought of safety.
Feel free to come out and
talk. Please don’t get my name in the papers or get me anymore added problems.
Thank you sincerely,
Melba Kronkright
