Abigail Folger
Encyclopedia
Abigail Anne "Gibbie" Folger (August 11, 1943 – August 9, 1969) was an American
coffee heiress
, debutante
, socialite
, volunteer social worker, civil rights devotee and member of the prominent United States Folger family. She was the great-granddaughter of J. A. Folger
, the founder of Folgers
Coffee. She is also known as one of the murder victims of the Manson Family
.
. Her parents were Peter Folger
, Chairman and President
of the Folger Coffee Company, and Ines "Pui" Mejia (June 25, 1907–July 15, 2007), the youngest child of Gertrude and Encarnacion Mejia, a consul general of El Salvador. Her Roman Catholic
parents divorced in 1952 when she was still young, after her mother ended the marriage on the grounds of extreme cruelty. In 1960, her father married again, this time to his 24-year-old private secretary, Beverly Mater, who was already pregnant with his youngest daughter, Elizabeth, born in January, 1961.
Growing up in San Francisco, Folger was raised in the closed tradition of San Francisco society. As a young girl she was interested in art, books, poetry
and playing the piano
. Close friends and family called her 'Gibbie'.
Folger attended Santa Catalina School in Monterey, California
, near Carmel
. She graduated with honors in June 1961. She then matriculated at Radcliffe College
in Cambridge
, Massachusetts
in the fall of 1961. During her stay at Radcliffe she became an active member of the college's Gilbert and Sullivan
Players, a musical theatre group. She starred in two of its productions, starting with The Sorcerer
in April 1963 where she played the part of one of the town's villagers. In December 1963 she starred in The Gondoliers
as one of the Contadine. She graduated with honors from Radcliffe College
in 1964.
While a freshman in college, she became a debutante
on December 21, 1961 at the St. Francis Hotel
in San Francisco, where she made her official debut into San Francisco's high society. Her debutante ball was one of the highlights of the social season, with Folger wearing a bright yellow Christian Dior
gown that she had purchased in Paris
the previous summer.
After graduating from Radcliffe, she enrolled in the fall of 1964 at Harvard University
, also in Cambridge
, where she did graduate work and received a degree in Art History
. After graduating in the spring of 1967, she took a job at the University of California
Art Museum in Berkeley
, California
as a publicity director. While employed there, her main job was to organize the fine art museum council.
in order to find herself and to probe the other side of life. She soon made the move to New York City
, where she got a job working for a magazine publisher. She eventually left for a job at the Gotham Book Mart
on 47th Street. While living in New York
, she lived well below her means. As the daughter of an incredibly wealthy family, Folger's annual income from her inheritances, after taxes, was $130,000 a year (the equivalent of $838,193 a year in 2009 dollars).
It was at a bookstore party in December 1967 where she met Polish
author Jerzy Kosinski
, who was married to American
steel heiress Mary Hayward Weir
. Weir ran in the same wealthy circle as Folger, and it was she who introduced Kosinski to Folger. In early January 1968, Kosinski introduced Folger to his friend, aspiring writer Wojciech Frykowski
, at a party and the two hit it off. Frykowski had been living in the United States for one month at the time.
. She gave him a tour of New York
, began to teach him English, and they fell in love. He moved into her New York City
apartment and she supported him financially.
In August 1968, both Folger and Frykowski decided to move to Los Angeles, California
. He wanted to pursue his writing career while Folger wanted to get involved with a new welfare project that was currently under way. She rented a car, and she and Frykowski drove across the country.
In Los Angeles, she found a two-story hilltop home to rent at 2774 Woodstock Road for her and Wojciech in Laurel Canyon
, and bought a 1968 yellow Firebird
. Their neighbor across the road was singer Cass Elliot
of the rock group The Mamas & the Papas
, whom the couple quickly befriended. Through Frykowski, she met Roman Polanski
and his wife, Sharon Tate
. Through the Polanskis, Folger and Frykowski were introduced to Jay Sebring
. The five quickly began to hang out together and were known to be a part of 'the beautiful people crowd' in Hollywood. In a 2006 interview for the History Channel show Our Generation: Death of the Counterculture, Michelle Phillips
, also of The Mamas & the Papas
, said that she was very good friends with all of the Tate murder victims (presumably excluding Steven Parent
) and that it was still hard to talk about the murders.
, Folger spent long days in the ghettos doing her job as a volunteer social worker with children, waking up at dawn each day.
On March 15, 1969, Folger, Sebring, and Frykowski attended the catered housewarming party of the Polanskis at 10050 Cielo Drive
. Over one hundred guests, such as Jane Fonda
, Roger Vadim
, Peter Fonda
, Tony Curtis
, Warren Beatty
, Nancy Sinatra
, Michael Sarne, Michelle Phillips
, John Phillips
, and Cass Elliot
, attended. The next day, Polanski left for London
to begin work on a new film.
Meanwhile, Folger's work as a social worker soon began to take a toll on her and she became depressed
.
On March 23, 1969, an odd incident occurred at 10050 Cielo Drive. That afternoon, Folger and Frykowski went over to the Polanskis' home for a going away dinner party for Tate, who was leaving for Rome
the next day. Sebring was there, as well as Tate's friend Shahrokh Hatami, an Iran
ian photographer. Rudi Altobelli, the owner of the Cielo home, had attended the party briefly, but soon returned to his guest house to pack for his upcoming trip to Europe
. The incident involved a strange-looking man who had appeared on the property as the occupants of the house sat in the dining room, which faced the front of the residence. Hatami felt uneasy about this stranger roaming the Polanski estate, so he left the house to confront the man. From the front porch, the party inside could be seen through the large dining room windows. Hatami asked the stranger if he could help him. The stranger said he was looking for someone by the name of Terry Melcher
, a name Hatami did not recognize. Hatami made it clear to the stranger that this was the Polanski residence, and suggested that perhaps the person he was looking for lived in the guest house. Later, this stranger was identified as Charles Manson
.
Senator
Robert F. Kennedy
. She donated both time and money to the Kennedy campaign. The campaign soon came to an end when Kennedy was assassinated
in Los Angeles
in early June.
The next year during the month of April and continuing through most of May, she was a political volunteer for the campaign of Tom Bradley
, a black councilman running for mayor of Los Angeles
. She contributed both her time and a large amount of her own money to the Bradley campaign. Bradley lost to Sam Yorty in late May, which left Folger feeling bitter and disillusioned. This led her to become very involved with the civil rights movement that summer.
was away in Europe
filming movies, Folger and Frykowski moved into the Polanskis' Cielo Drive home in Benedict Canyon, at Polanski's request. At the same time, their Woodstock Road home was being occupied by Wojciech's friend, Polish
artist Witold-K
, who had arrived in the United States
the previous December. A day earlier, Folger had quit her job as a social worker.
In May 1969, Folger and her mother attended the San Francisco opening of Jay Sebring's newest shop at 629 Commercial Street. Folger enjoyed the champagne reception and found herself mingling with such guests as Paul Newman
, Joanne Woodward
, Doris Tate
, and her husband Paul Tate (Sharon's parents).
On July 8, 1969, Folger and Frykowski learned that Sharon Tate
would be returning to the U.S.
later that month. The couple then began to move most of their clothing from Cielo Drive back to their own home on Woodstock Road. They informed Wojciech's friend, Witold-K
, that they would be soon returning to live in their home after Tate's arrival.
On July 20, 1969, Tate returned to California
from London
and asked Abigail and Wojciech to remain at 10050 Cielo Drive
with her until her husband Roman Polanski
arrived on August 12. Folger, Frykowski, Tate and Sebring, along with Tate's parents and two younger sisters, all watched the moon landing on television
.
On Wednesday August 6, 1969 film director Michael Sarne invited Folger, Frykowski and Tate over for a dinner party at his rented Malibu beach house. After dessert had been served, Tate began to feel unwell, so it was decided that Folger and Frykowski would drive her home.
and Barbara Lewis, on the front lawn patio. The late lunch was served to the party of five by Winifred Chapman, the Polanskis' housekeeper. Shortly after, at around 3:45 p.m., Folger left Cielo Drive in her Firebird in order to keep an appointment she had later that afternoon. Frykowski left minutes later, in Tate's rented 1969 red Camaro
, to unload a box at the couple's Woodstock Road home.
That evening, just after 9 p.m., Folger, Frykowski, Jay Sebring, and Sharon Tate went out to a Mexican
restaurant called El Coyote. Returning home, Frykowski fell asleep on the couch while Folger was in her room reading. Her mother called her at 10 p.m. that night to verify their weekend plans. She was scheduled to fly to San Francisco at 10 a.m. Saturday morning on United Airlines
in order to celebrate her birthday. Her mother was to join her later, as she was coming in from Connecticut
after spending time with friends.
Manson's followers broke into the house in the early morning hours of August 9, 1969. When one of them (Susan Atkins
) passed Folger's bedroom door, Folger, believing the woman was a friend of the Polanskis, waved and smiled at the intruder. Susan then proceeded to pass by Sharon Tate's bedroom, where Sharon and Jay Sebring were talking in hushed tones. After tying up Wojciech's hands with a towel, Susan went to round up Folger, Sharon, and Jay, ordering them into the living room, near the fireplace. Susan than asked if any of them had any money. Folger responded that she did and was led to her bedroom to empty her purse. One of the captives than asked what was going to happen, to which Charles "Tex" Watson, the leader of the group, replied: "You are all going to die!". At this point they pleaded for their very lives, but to no avail. Tex began to tie up Jay's wrists with a piece of rope. Tex than placed the rope around Jay's neck prior to tossing the end over one of the ceiling beams, with Sharon's neck placed in the other end. As the tension mounted, Tex tied up Folger's hands with a section of rope that bound Sharon's neck. Tex than tied the rope around Jay's neck, and after tugging on it, Folger and Sharon were forced to stand on their toes to avoid being choked. Finally, Tex ordered all four captives to lie face down. Jay protested to Tex, pleading how Sharon was 9 months pregnant. Tex, armed with a buntline revolver, shot Jay twice, causing Sharon and Folger to flip out big-time.
Folger, who had managed to loosen the rope that bound her wrists, was engaged in a desperate fight for life with (Patricia Krenwinkel
), known as "Katie" and a devout follower of Charles Manson. Katie, who was struggling with Folger, cried out for help. In the meantime, Folger escaped and made her break for freedom, but Tex, armed with a buck knive, slashed her in the midsection. Folger clutched her stomach and stumbled out of the house leaving a trail of blood. After falling down on the lawn, Folger was quickly overtaken by Katie. Wielding a knive herself, Katie viciously stabbed away at Folger. As Katie continued the attack, Tex approached the mortally wounded Folger to finish her off. After dispatching with Folger, Tex rejoined Susan inside the house. Now Sharon was at the mercy of Susan and Tex. Wojciech fled the residence himself, but was also tracked down by the killers.
When investigators were called in the following morning, the scene of carnage which greeted them was unlike anything they had ever witnessed. Sharon and her unborn baby had been stabbed 16 times. Jay had been shot twice and bludgeoned to death. And on the lawn lay the lifeless bodies of Folger and Wojciech, separated by just a few feet. Folger had been stabbed 28 times and died from a stab wound to the aorta
. Wojciech, who fought hard for his life, had been shot twice and stabbed a total of 51 times. Allegedly, Folger's dying words were, "You can stop now; I'm already dead." Although coroners found a large amount of the drug MDA
in her system, they reached the conclusion that she was fully aware of what was happening when the attack occurred.
Abigail Folger's body was returned to San Francisco and taken to Crippen and Flynn Mortuary in Redwood City
. Her funeral was held on the morning of August 13, 1969, at Our Lady of the Wayside Church
in Portola Valley
, a church that had been built by her grandparents, the Mejias, in 1912. Following a Catholic requiem mass
, Abigail Folger was entombed at Holy Cross Cemetery
in Colma, California
. (Main Mausoleum, Hallway N)
After her death, investigators reported that Folger's estate was worth $530,000. She left no will
.
Abigail was survived by her parents, Peter and Ines, her brother, Peter, then 24, and sister, Elizabeth, then 8.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
coffee heiress
Beneficiary
A beneficiary in the broadest sense is a natural person or other legal entity who receives money or other benefits from a benefactor. For example: The beneficiary of a life insurance policy, is the person who receives the payment of the amount of insurance after the death of the insured...
, debutante
Debutante
A débutante is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal "début" presentation. It should not be confused with a Debs...
, socialite
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
, volunteer social worker, civil rights devotee and member of the prominent United States Folger family. She was the great-granddaughter of J. A. Folger
J. A. Folger
James Athearn Folger was the founder of the Folgers Coffee Company.-Early years:Folger was born in Nantucket, Massachusetts, the son of Samuel Brown Folger and Nancy Hill. His father was a master blacksmith who had invested in a try works and bought two ships. They had nine children of which...
, the founder of Folgers
Folgers
Folgers Coffee is a major brand of coffee in the United States, part of the food and beverage division of The J.M. Smucker Co.-Company history:...
Coffee. She is also known as one of the murder victims of the Manson Family
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
.
Early life
Folger was born in San Francisco, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Her parents were Peter Folger
Peter Folger
Peter Folger was an American coffee heir, socialite, and member of the prominent United States Folger family. He was also the long time Chairman of the board and President at the Folgers Coffee Company. He is the grandson of founder J. A...
, Chairman and President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Folger Coffee Company, and Ines "Pui" Mejia (June 25, 1907–July 15, 2007), the youngest child of Gertrude and Encarnacion Mejia, a consul general of El Salvador. Her Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
parents divorced in 1952 when she was still young, after her mother ended the marriage on the grounds of extreme cruelty. In 1960, her father married again, this time to his 24-year-old private secretary, Beverly Mater, who was already pregnant with his youngest daughter, Elizabeth, born in January, 1961.
Growing up in San Francisco, Folger was raised in the closed tradition of San Francisco society. As a young girl she was interested in art, books, poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and playing the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. Close friends and family called her 'Gibbie'.
Folger attended Santa Catalina School in Monterey, California
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
, near Carmel
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel-by-the-Sea, often called simply Carmel, is a small city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated in 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, the town is known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history...
. She graduated with honors in June 1961. She then matriculated at Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
in Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in the fall of 1961. During her stay at Radcliffe she became an active member of the college's Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
Players, a musical theatre group. She starred in two of its productions, starting with The Sorcerer
The Sorcerer
The Sorcerer is a two-act comic opera, with a libretto by W. S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan. It was the British duo's third operatic collaboration. The plot of The Sorcerer is based on a Christmas story, An Elixir of Love, that Gilbert wrote for The Graphic magazine in 1876...
in April 1963 where she played the part of one of the town's villagers. In December 1963 she starred in The Gondoliers
The Gondoliers
The Gondoliers; or, The King of Barataria is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 7 December 1889 and ran for a very successful 554 performances , closing on 30 June 1891...
as one of the Contadine. She graduated with honors from Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
in 1964.
While a freshman in college, she became a debutante
Debutante
A débutante is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal "début" presentation. It should not be confused with a Debs...
on December 21, 1961 at the St. Francis Hotel
St. Francis Hotel
The Westin St. Francis is a historic luxury hotel located on Powell and Geary Streets on Union Square in San Francisco, California. The two twelve-story south wings of the hotel were built just before the San Francisco Earthquake, in 1904, and the double-width north wing was completed in 1913,...
in San Francisco, where she made her official debut into San Francisco's high society. Her debutante ball was one of the highlights of the social season, with Folger wearing a bright yellow Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
gown that she had purchased in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
the previous summer.
After graduating from Radcliffe, she enrolled in the fall of 1964 at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, also in Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, where she did graduate work and received a degree in Art History
History of art
The History of art refers to visual art which may be defined as any activity or product made by humans in a visual form for aesthetical or communicative purposes, expressing ideas, emotions or, in general, a worldview...
. After graduating in the spring of 1967, she took a job at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
Art Museum in Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
as a publicity director. While employed there, her main job was to organize the fine art museum council.
New York City
In September 1967, Folger decided to move away from CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in order to find herself and to probe the other side of life. She soon made the move to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she got a job working for a magazine publisher. She eventually left for a job at the Gotham Book Mart
Gotham Book Mart
The Gotham Book Mart, in operation from 1920 to 2007, was a famous midtown Manhattan bookstore and cultural landmark. The business was located first in a small basement space on West 45th Street near the Theater District, it then moved to 51 West 47th Street, then spent many years at 41 West 47th...
on 47th Street. While living in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, she lived well below her means. As the daughter of an incredibly wealthy family, Folger's annual income from her inheritances, after taxes, was $130,000 a year (the equivalent of $838,193 a year in 2009 dollars).
It was at a bookstore party in December 1967 where she met Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
author Jerzy Kosinski
Jerzy Kosinski
Jerzy Kosiński , born Józef Lewinkopf, was an award-winning Polish American novelist, and two-time President of the American Chapter of P.E.N.He was known for various novels, among them The Painted Bird and Being There...
, who was married to American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
steel heiress Mary Hayward Weir
Mary Hayward Weir
Mary Hayward Weir, born Mary Emma Hayward , was an American steel heiress and socialite. She was the wealthy widow of Pittsburgh steel king Ernest T...
. Weir ran in the same wealthy circle as Folger, and it was she who introduced Kosinski to Folger. In early January 1968, Kosinski introduced Folger to his friend, aspiring writer Wojciech Frykowski
Wojciech Frykowski
Wojciech Frykowski was a Polish actor and writer who was murdered in the home of Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski by members of Charles Manson's "Family".-Early life:...
, at a party and the two hit it off. Frykowski had been living in the United States for one month at the time.
Folger and Wojciech
Frykowski was not then fluent in English, but, like Folger, he was fluent in FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. She gave him a tour of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, began to teach him English, and they fell in love. He moved into her New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
apartment and she supported him financially.
In August 1968, both Folger and Frykowski decided to move to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. He wanted to pursue his writing career while Folger wanted to get involved with a new welfare project that was currently under way. She rented a car, and she and Frykowski drove across the country.
In Los Angeles, she found a two-story hilltop home to rent at 2774 Woodstock Road for her and Wojciech in Laurel Canyon
Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California
Laurel Canyon is a canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was first developed in the 1910s, and became a part of the city of Los Angeles in 1923 ....
, and bought a 1968 yellow Firebird
Pontiac Firebird
The Pontiac Firebird was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. The Firebird was introduced the same year as the automaker's platform-sharing model, the Chevrolet Camaro...
. Their neighbor across the road was singer Cass Elliot
Cass Elliot
Cass Elliot , born Ellen Naomi Cohen and also known as Mama Cass, was an American singer and member of The Mamas & the Papas. After the group broke up, she released five solo albums. Elliot was found dead in her room in London, England, from an apparent heart attack after two weeks of sold-out...
of the rock group The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
, whom the couple quickly befriended. Through Frykowski, she met Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
and his wife, Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate
Sharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
. Through the Polanskis, Folger and Frykowski were introduced to Jay Sebring
Jay Sebring
Jay Sebring was an American hair stylist for celebrities, and the founder of the hairstyling corporation Sebring International. He is also known as one of the murder victims of the Manson Family.-Early life:...
. The five quickly began to hang out together and were known to be a part of 'the beautiful people crowd' in Hollywood. In a 2006 interview for the History Channel show Our Generation: Death of the Counterculture, Michelle Phillips
Michelle Phillips
Michelle Phillips is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She gained fame as a member of the 1960s group The Mamas & the Papas, and is the last surviving original member of the group.-Early life:...
, also of The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
, said that she was very good friends with all of the Tate murder victims (presumably excluding Steven Parent
Steven Parent
Steven Earl Parent was a victim of the Charles Manson murders.-Early life:Steven Earl Parent was born in California to Wilfred Elmer Parent, a construction superintendent and his wife, Juanita, a homemaker...
) and that it was still hard to talk about the murders.
Social work
Like her mother, Ines, who was active doing charity work with the Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic in San Francisco, Folger continued to be involved with volunteer work. She registered as a volunteer social worker for the Los Angeles County Welfare Department in September 1968. Earlier, in the spring and summer of 1968, she attended fundraisers set up by her mother to aid the Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic. It was around the same time many of the Manson family women were being treated there. Back in Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Folger spent long days in the ghettos doing her job as a volunteer social worker with children, waking up at dawn each day.
On March 15, 1969, Folger, Sebring, and Frykowski attended the catered housewarming party of the Polanskis at 10050 Cielo Drive
10050 Cielo Drive
The original home located at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, California, has been occupied by many famous Hollywood figures, and was the scene of one of the Manson "family" murders. The house was designed by Robert Byrd in 1942 for French actress Michèle Morgan...
. Over one hundred guests, such as Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as Barbarella and Cat Ballou. She has won two Academy Awards and received several other movie awards and nominations during more than 50 years as an...
, Roger Vadim
Roger Vadim
Roger Vadim was a French screenwriter, director, and producer as well as a journalist, author and actor, who launched Brigitte Bardot's career in the film And God Created Woman.-Early life:...
, Peter Fonda
Peter Fonda
Peter Henry Fonda is an American actor. He is the son of Henry Fonda, brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget and Justin Fonda...
, Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
, Warren Beatty
Warren Beatty
Warren Beatty born March 30, 1937) is an American actor, producer, screenwriter and director. He has received a total of fourteen Academy Award nominations, winning one for Best Director in 1982. He has also won four Golden Globe Awards including the Cecil B. DeMille Award.-Early life and...
, Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
, Michael Sarne, Michelle Phillips
Michelle Phillips
Michelle Phillips is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She gained fame as a member of the 1960s group The Mamas & the Papas, and is the last surviving original member of the group.-Early life:...
, John Phillips
John Phillips (musician)
John Edmund Andrew Phillips , was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter and promoter . Known as Papa John, Phillips was a member and leader of the singing group The Mamas & the Papas...
, and Cass Elliot
Cass Elliot
Cass Elliot , born Ellen Naomi Cohen and also known as Mama Cass, was an American singer and member of The Mamas & the Papas. After the group broke up, she released five solo albums. Elliot was found dead in her room in London, England, from an apparent heart attack after two weeks of sold-out...
, attended. The next day, Polanski left for London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to begin work on a new film.
Meanwhile, Folger's work as a social worker soon began to take a toll on her and she became depressed
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
.
On March 23, 1969, an odd incident occurred at 10050 Cielo Drive. That afternoon, Folger and Frykowski went over to the Polanskis' home for a going away dinner party for Tate, who was leaving for Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
the next day. Sebring was there, as well as Tate's friend Shahrokh Hatami, an Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian photographer. Rudi Altobelli, the owner of the Cielo home, had attended the party briefly, but soon returned to his guest house to pack for his upcoming trip to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The incident involved a strange-looking man who had appeared on the property as the occupants of the house sat in the dining room, which faced the front of the residence. Hatami felt uneasy about this stranger roaming the Polanski estate, so he left the house to confront the man. From the front porch, the party inside could be seen through the large dining room windows. Hatami asked the stranger if he could help him. The stranger said he was looking for someone by the name of Terry Melcher
Terry Melcher
Terrence P. Melcher was an American musician and record producer, who was instrumental in shaping the sound of American West Coast rock music. His greatest contribution to the culture of the time was producing The Byrds' innovative hits "Mr Tambourine Man" and "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and his...
, a name Hatami did not recognize. Hatami made it clear to the stranger that this was the Polanski residence, and suggested that perhaps the person he was looking for lived in the guest house. Later, this stranger was identified as Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
.
Politics
From April to May 1968, Folger became a political volunteer for the ill-fated presidential campaign of New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
. She donated both time and money to the Kennedy campaign. The campaign soon came to an end when Kennedy was assassinated
Robert F. Kennedy assassination
The assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, a United States Senator and brother of assassinated President John F. Kennedy, took place shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968, in Los Angeles, California...
in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in early June.
The next year during the month of April and continuing through most of May, she was a political volunteer for the campaign of Tom Bradley
Tom Bradley (politician)
Thomas J. "Tom" Bradley was the 38th Mayor of Los Angeles, California, serving in that office from 1973 to 1993. He was the first and to date only African American mayor of Los Angeles...
, a black councilman running for mayor of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. She contributed both her time and a large amount of her own money to the Bradley campaign. Bradley lost to Sam Yorty in late May, which left Folger feeling bitter and disillusioned. This led her to become very involved with the civil rights movement that summer.
10050 Cielo Drive
On April 1, 1969, while Roman PolanskiRoman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
was away in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
filming movies, Folger and Frykowski moved into the Polanskis' Cielo Drive home in Benedict Canyon, at Polanski's request. At the same time, their Woodstock Road home was being occupied by Wojciech's friend, Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
artist Witold-K
Witold-K
Witold-K is a Polish-American artist.He was born in Warsaw, Poland and studied at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts.In 1964 he was sent to Paris by the Ministerstwo Kultury...
, who had arrived in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
the previous December. A day earlier, Folger had quit her job as a social worker.
In May 1969, Folger and her mother attended the San Francisco opening of Jay Sebring's newest shop at 629 Commercial Street. Folger enjoyed the champagne reception and found herself mingling with such guests as Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
, Joanne Woodward
Joanne Woodward
Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward is an American actress, television and theatrical producer, and widow of Paul Newman...
, Doris Tate
Doris Tate
Doris Gwendolyn Tate was an American campaigner for the rights of crime victims. After the murder of her daughter, the actress Sharon Tate, and several others, she worked to raise public awareness about the United States corrections system and was influential in the amendment of California laws...
, and her husband Paul Tate (Sharon's parents).
On July 8, 1969, Folger and Frykowski learned that Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate
Sharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
would be returning to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
later that month. The couple then began to move most of their clothing from Cielo Drive back to their own home on Woodstock Road. They informed Wojciech's friend, Witold-K
Witold-K
Witold-K is a Polish-American artist.He was born in Warsaw, Poland and studied at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts.In 1964 he was sent to Paris by the Ministerstwo Kultury...
, that they would be soon returning to live in their home after Tate's arrival.
On July 20, 1969, Tate returned to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and asked Abigail and Wojciech to remain at 10050 Cielo Drive
10050 Cielo Drive
The original home located at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, California, has been occupied by many famous Hollywood figures, and was the scene of one of the Manson "family" murders. The house was designed by Robert Byrd in 1942 for French actress Michèle Morgan...
with her until her husband Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
arrived on August 12. Folger, Frykowski, Tate and Sebring, along with Tate's parents and two younger sisters, all watched the moon landing on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
On Wednesday August 6, 1969 film director Michael Sarne invited Folger, Frykowski and Tate over for a dinner party at his rented Malibu beach house. After dessert had been served, Tate began to feel unwell, so it was decided that Folger and Frykowski would drive her home.
Death
On August 8, 1969, Folger and Frykowski ran some errands together. Folger purchased a yellow, lightweight bicycle around 2 p.m. from a shop on Santa Monica Boulevard and arranged for it to be delivered to Cielo Drive later that afternoon. She and Wojciech then drove back to the Polanski home and had a late lunch with Tate and her friends, Joanna PettetJoanna Pettet
Joanna Pettet is a British actress.-Biography:Her parents, Harold Nigel Edgerton Salmon, a British Royal Air Force pilot killed in World War II, and mother, Cecily J. Tremaine, were married in London in 1940...
and Barbara Lewis, on the front lawn patio. The late lunch was served to the party of five by Winifred Chapman, the Polanskis' housekeeper. Shortly after, at around 3:45 p.m., Folger left Cielo Drive in her Firebird in order to keep an appointment she had later that afternoon. Frykowski left minutes later, in Tate's rented 1969 red Camaro
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
, to unload a box at the couple's Woodstock Road home.
That evening, just after 9 p.m., Folger, Frykowski, Jay Sebring, and Sharon Tate went out to a Mexican
Mexican cuisine
Mexican cuisine, a style of food that originates in Mexico, is known for its varied flavors, colourful decoration and variety of spices and ingredients, most of which are native to the country. The cuisine of Mexico has evolved through thousands of years of blending indigenous cultures, with later...
restaurant called El Coyote. Returning home, Frykowski fell asleep on the couch while Folger was in her room reading. Her mother called her at 10 p.m. that night to verify their weekend plans. She was scheduled to fly to San Francisco at 10 a.m. Saturday morning on United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
in order to celebrate her birthday. Her mother was to join her later, as she was coming in from Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
after spending time with friends.
Manson's followers broke into the house in the early morning hours of August 9, 1969. When one of them (Susan Atkins
Susan Atkins
Susan Denise Atkins was a convicted American murderer who was a member of the "Manson family", led by Charles Manson. Manson and his followers committed a series of nine murders at four locations in California, over a period of five weeks in the summer of 1969...
) passed Folger's bedroom door, Folger, believing the woman was a friend of the Polanskis, waved and smiled at the intruder. Susan then proceeded to pass by Sharon Tate's bedroom, where Sharon and Jay Sebring were talking in hushed tones. After tying up Wojciech's hands with a towel, Susan went to round up Folger, Sharon, and Jay, ordering them into the living room, near the fireplace. Susan than asked if any of them had any money. Folger responded that she did and was led to her bedroom to empty her purse. One of the captives than asked what was going to happen, to which Charles "Tex" Watson, the leader of the group, replied: "You are all going to die!". At this point they pleaded for their very lives, but to no avail. Tex began to tie up Jay's wrists with a piece of rope. Tex than placed the rope around Jay's neck prior to tossing the end over one of the ceiling beams, with Sharon's neck placed in the other end. As the tension mounted, Tex tied up Folger's hands with a section of rope that bound Sharon's neck. Tex than tied the rope around Jay's neck, and after tugging on it, Folger and Sharon were forced to stand on their toes to avoid being choked. Finally, Tex ordered all four captives to lie face down. Jay protested to Tex, pleading how Sharon was 9 months pregnant. Tex, armed with a buntline revolver, shot Jay twice, causing Sharon and Folger to flip out big-time.
Folger, who had managed to loosen the rope that bound her wrists, was engaged in a desperate fight for life with (Patricia Krenwinkel
Patricia Krenwinkel
Patricia Dianne Krenwinkel is an American convicted killer and a former member of Charles Manson's murderous commune, known as "the Family". During her time with Manson's group, she was known by various aliases such as "Big Patty", "Yellow", and "Mary Ann Scott", but to The Family she was most...
), known as "Katie" and a devout follower of Charles Manson. Katie, who was struggling with Folger, cried out for help. In the meantime, Folger escaped and made her break for freedom, but Tex, armed with a buck knive, slashed her in the midsection. Folger clutched her stomach and stumbled out of the house leaving a trail of blood. After falling down on the lawn, Folger was quickly overtaken by Katie. Wielding a knive herself, Katie viciously stabbed away at Folger. As Katie continued the attack, Tex approached the mortally wounded Folger to finish her off. After dispatching with Folger, Tex rejoined Susan inside the house. Now Sharon was at the mercy of Susan and Tex. Wojciech fled the residence himself, but was also tracked down by the killers.
When investigators were called in the following morning, the scene of carnage which greeted them was unlike anything they had ever witnessed. Sharon and her unborn baby had been stabbed 16 times. Jay had been shot twice and bludgeoned to death. And on the lawn lay the lifeless bodies of Folger and Wojciech, separated by just a few feet. Folger had been stabbed 28 times and died from a stab wound to the aorta
Aorta
The aorta is the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it branches off into two smaller arteries...
. Wojciech, who fought hard for his life, had been shot twice and stabbed a total of 51 times. Allegedly, Folger's dying words were, "You can stop now; I'm already dead." Although coroners found a large amount of the drug MDA
3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine
3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine , also known as tenamfetamine , is a psychedelic and entactogenic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes...
in her system, they reached the conclusion that she was fully aware of what was happening when the attack occurred.
Abigail Folger's body was returned to San Francisco and taken to Crippen and Flynn Mortuary in Redwood City
Redwood City, California
Redwood City is a California charter city located on the San Francisco Peninsula in Northern California, approximately 27 miles south of San Francisco, and 24 miles north of San Jose. Redwood City's history spans from its earliest inhabitation by the Ohlone people, to its tradition as a port for...
. Her funeral was held on the morning of August 13, 1969, at Our Lady of the Wayside Church
Our Lady of the Wayside Church
Our Lady of the Wayside Church is a modest church built in 1912 for the then-growing Catholic parish of Portola Valley by a combined effort of Jewish, Protestant and Catholic members of The Family, a San Francisco men's club that owns a nearby rural retreat....
in Portola Valley
Portola Valley, California
Portola Valley is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States. The population was 4,353 at the 2010 census. It was named for Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola, who led the first party of Europeans to explore the San Francisco Peninsula, in 1769.Portola Valley is one of the...
, a church that had been built by her grandparents, the Mejias, in 1912. Following a Catholic requiem mass
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
, Abigail Folger was entombed at Holy Cross Cemetery
Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma
Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Colma, California is an American Roman Catholic cemetery operated by the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Established in 1887 on of a former potato farm, it is the oldest and largest cemetery established in Colma to serve the needs of San Francisco...
in Colma, California
Colma, California
Colma is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, at the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 1,792 at the 2010 census. The town was founded as a necropolis in 1924....
. (Main Mausoleum, Hallway N)
After her death, investigators reported that Folger's estate was worth $530,000. She left no will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
.
Abigail was survived by her parents, Peter and Ines, her brother, Peter, then 24, and sister, Elizabeth, then 8.