LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cult leader Charles Manson, who directed his "family" to carry out a series of shocking murders in 1969 in a bid to start a race war he called "Helter Skelter," died of natural causes at 83. He collected a band of young followers in California before orchestrating the slayings of actress Sharon Tate; friends Jay Sebring, Voityck Frykowski and Abigail Folger; and Steve Parent, a guesthouse visitor on Aug.