The End Of Summit Trail

Not two weeks after the arrest of Manson et al. on Deer Creek Road in Ventura County the group again found itself under assault from law enforcement. It was May 2, 1968, and this time the incident occurred and the end of Summit Trail, an isolated location high up at the end of a series of narrow, twisting roads running off of Topanga Canyon Road. The group began staying at this property, which at the time included a vacant house, after their time at the so-called “Spiral Staircase House” behind the Topanga Shopping Center at the intersection of Topanga Canyon Road and the Pacific Coast Highway (California Highway 1). 

According to the Sheriff’s report of the incident: 

“Acting of information from above informant that above house is being used as a crash pad by narcotics addicts and runaways, writer, Sgt. Salerno, Deps. Rodriguez and Redddy with the assistance of car 103…. proceeded to above location.

“Upon arrival writer observed suspect Manson standing in front of the house.

“Writer identified himself by displaying his badge and stated Sheriff narcotic officers were conducting a narcotic investigation. Suspect Manson replied OK, come in the house, I’ll show you around. Upon entering suspect # 2 was observed lying on a bed, suspects #3, #4, and #5 observed milling about. Approximately five (5) minutes later suspects # 6 and #7 entered with Sgt. Salerno who stated they were in a bus adjacent to the house.

“After exiting the house with all the suspects in our presence, writer observed and heard suspect Manson lean over to suspect Hall and in a low voice said, “Go sit in the chair,” writer observed suspect Hall walk to a chair and sit down. Writer requested suspect suspect [sic] Hall to stand up, to which he complied. A check of the chair revealed evidence held items #1, #2, #3 and #4 on the ground under the chair.

“Writer then displayed the evidence to all suspects and stated, “Do you know what this is and does it belong to any of you”, all suspects remained silent. Suspects were then placed under arrest for possession of marijuana and advised of their rights per SH-AD-477. Each suspect stated he understood his rights.

“Suspect Manson stated that the marijuana could belong to anyone, as a lot of people stay here. Suspects were transported to Malibu Sheriff’s Station by car 103…. and booked on above charge.

“During booking procedure item # 5 was found in left front shirt pocket of suspect Hall. During booking procedures Matron Shirle Smith found item # 6 on suspect Good’s person. Suspect Manson was again shown the evidence, item # 1, #2, #3 and #4 and asked if it was his, suspect stated, no it could belong to anyone of many people. When asked if he smoked marijuana, suspect stated yes. When asked why he told suspect Hall to sit in the chair, evidence recovered, suspect stated I was trying to keep the guys out of your way, so you could do your job.

“Suspect Hall was again shown the evidence #1, #2, #3 and #4, and asked if it was his, suspect stated, No. When asked if he had seen the evidence before suspect stated, I might have, but I can’t say for sure. When asked if he smoked marijuana, suspect stated, yes, but I haven’t for approximately five (5) days. When shown the driver license, evidence held item # 2, and asked if it was his, suspect stated no. When advised that the picture on the license looked like him, suspect stated OK it’s mine, it’s a false name and license.

“When asked how it got into evidence held item #2, suspect stated I don’t know. When again asked about the evidence, suspect stated I don’t know a thing about the marijuana.

“Suspect Good was again shown evidence held item # 1, #2, #3 and #4 and asked if it was hers, suspect stated, no, never saw it before. When asked if she smoked marijuana suspect stated, yes, but I don’t like it. When asked where she got the capsules [item # 6], suspect stated from Gary Hinman in Topanga. 

“Suspect #4, #5, #6 and #7, refused to make any statements.

“Evidence transported to L.A. Sheriff’s crime lab for analysis.

“The facts of this cased will be presented to Santa Monica branch of the Los Angeles District Attorney Office for their consideration towards a complaint.”

Evidence seized during this raid included a quart of marijuana seeds in a glass bottle (item # 1), a little over two ounces of pot (items # 2, 3, and 4), three pills (item # 6), and some driver's licenses of questionable authenticity. 

Taken into custody and detained at the Malibu station of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Office were Charles Manson (suspect # 1), Sandra Good (suspect # 2), Bruce Vann Hall (suspect # 3), Robert Earl Murray (suspect # 4), Louis Covell (suspect # 5), Bruce Davis (suspect # 6), and Diane Bluestein (Diane Lake, suspect # 7)). 

Below, the Sheriff's report of the incident at the end of Summit Trail:

Charles Manson was charged with violation of Section 11530 of the Health and Safety Code, possession of marijuana. On his booking record his address was listed as "transient 'bus'" and his occupation was listed as "musician -- unemployed."

Manson's booking record for possession of marijuana

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Summit Trail Today

The location of the bust on Summit Trail was another of the destinations for the 2016 MF Blog Tour. The end of the trail is still remote and rustic today; it was easy to get lost in the tight maze of "trails" and we made a couple of wrong turns before we finally arrived at the correct spot. When we got there an older gentleman was leaning on the fence in front of the house at the end of the trail, almost as if he was expecting us. After we identified ourselves and our purpose for being there, the man, Rick (who has owned the house since 1974 and been a denizen of Topanga Canyon for several years longer), gladly visited with us and told us stories of indeterminate veracity that he had heard of "the Family's" presence in the area. He was an interesting living link with the past!

Google Maps view of Summit Trail

A wider view shows the relationship of the end 

of Summit Trail (arrow) to Gary Hinman's

residence at 964 Old Topanga Canyon Road.

The end of Summit Trail

MF bloggers talk with Rick, the owner of the house 

at the end of Summit Trail since 1974.

According to Rick, "the Family's" black bus was 

parked on this slight rise adjacent to the house, 

about where the orange car is.

The house at the end of Summit Trail

Robert Earl Murray

There has been a question as to whether or not a certain picture identified as John Philip Haught is really him.  The only image that is certain is a picture taken of him in the LA County Morgue after his death.  This picture is rather creepy because it looks like someone has drawn in the eyes, the original is with his eyes closed but I couldn't find a copy large enough and clear enough to post.

Lt. Deemer's list of Family members and associates describes Haught as being 5'8" tall, weighing 130 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes and a birth date of April 20, 1949.  The California Death Index has his birth year as 1947 which is probably correct as the info for the death certificate was supplied by his family.  Haught was born in Missouri and raised in Ohio, where he is buried.


The other picture thought to be him is this one which is the header for John Philip Haught's webpage at cielodrive.com .

I found a mug shot of the same picture and it is identified as being Robert Earl Murray.

I know the mug shot with the Robert Earl Murray identifier has been around for quite some time.  I think what people might believe is that John Philip Haught was arrested with the Family at some point and used the name Robert Earl Murray as an alias.  The fact is Robert Earl Murray was arrested with other Family members May 2, 1968 in Malibu, months before John Philip Haught was known to associate with the Family.

The arrest report is available for reading at mansonsbackporch.com  It's about 3/4 of the way down the page titled LASD Arrest Report May 2, 1968.

The info that accompanies the arrest report says that Robert Earl Murray was 6'6" in height, weighed 205 pounds.  He had brown hair and blue eyes.  His date of birth was Aug. 8, 1945.  His address was 8 Woodstock Lane Pittsford, NY.

Due to recent interest in Robert Earl Murray I was moved to hunt down his high school senior picture and it pretty well confirms that he is an actual person, in fact the one who was arrested in the 1968 Malibu drug bust.  He is not John Philip Haught.

This photo is Robert Earl Murray's senior picture from Pittsford Central High School, class of 1965, in Pittsford NY.  Most high school seniors are 17 or 18 years old when they graduate.  Unless Murray was held back a couple of grades it appears that he lied about his birth year when he was arrested because he would have been 19 or 20 years old when he graduated.  I have no idea whether or not the month and year of the birthdate he gave to the sheriff's department is correct.   It is a little spooky that the date he gave was August 8th, if it's not his true birthdate, because it was on the same date in 1969 that Family members left Spahn Ranch to commit the Cielo Drive murders.



 I have tried to locate Robert Earl Murray but have had no luck to date.  We, here at the blog, did contact Cielodrive and send him Murray's high school picture prior to this post.  He was aware that the picture in his header for John Philip Haught was Murray and has been meaning to fix that but hadn't gotten around to it yet.  He said he will soon though!