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 Frykowski then drove back to the Polanski home and had a late lunch with Tate and her friends, Joanna Pettet 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 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. Atkins then proceeded to pass by Tate's bedroom, where Tate and Jay Sebring were talking. After tying up Frykowski's hands with a towel, Atkins went to round up Folger, Tate, and Sebring, ordering them into the living room, near the fireplace. Atkins then 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 then 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 lives, but to no avail. Watson began to tie Sebring's wrists with a piece of rope. Watson then placed the rope around Sebring's neck prior to tossing the end over one of the ceiling beams, with Tate's neck placed in the other end. As the tension mounted, Watson tied up Folger's hands with a section of rope that bound Tate's neck. Watson then tied the rope around Sebring's neck, and after tugging on it, Tate and Folger were forced to stand on their toes to avoid being choked. Finally, Watson ordered all four captives to lie face down. Jay protested to Watson, pleading that Tate was 9 months pregnant. Watson, armed with a Buntline revolver, shot Sebring twice.
Folger, who had managed to loosen the rope that bound her wrists and free her hands, was engaged in a fight with (Patricia Krenwinkel), known as "Katie" and a devout follower of Charles Manson. Krenwinkel, who was struggling with Folger, cried out for help as she was unable to subdue Folger on her own. In the meantime, Folger escaped and made her break for freedom, but Watson, armed with a buck knife, 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 Krenwinkel. Wielding a knife herself, Krenwinkel stabbed Folger. As Krenwinkel continued the attack, Watson approached the mortally wounded Folger to finish her off. After killing Folger, Watson rejoined Atkins inside the house where they stabbed Sharon Tate. Frykowski, who has also fled the residence, was also repeatedly stabbed.
When investigators were called in the following morning, the scene of carnage which greeted them was unlike anything they had ever witnessed. Tate had been stabbed 16 times. Sebring had been shot twice and physically assaulted. And on the lawn lay the bodies of Folger and Frykowski, separated by just a few feet. Folger had been stabbed 28 times and died from a stab wound to the aorta. Frykowski, who had fought hard for his life, had been shot twice and stabbed a total of 51 times. Allegedly, Folger's dying words were, "Stop, I'm already dead." Although coroners found a the drug MDA in Folger's system, they reached the conclusion that she was fully aware of what was happening when the attack occurred.
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, Folger was entombed at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California. Folger was survived by her parents, Peter and Ines, her brother, Peter, then 24, and sister, Elizabeth, then 8.
After her death, investigators reported that Folger's estate was worth $530,000. She left no will.
Read more about this topic: Abigail Folger
Famous quotes containing the word death:
“It is a sign of creeping inner death when we can no longer praise the living.”
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