Charles "Tex" Watson - Later Years

Later Years

Watson claims he became a born-again Christian in 1975 and through non-incarcerated friends operates aboundinglove.org. He has written about his role in the murders, stating that he believes that God has forgiven him. Will You Die For Me?, Watson's autobiography, as told to "Chaplain Ray" (Ray Hoekstra), was published in 1978. In 1979, he married Kristin Joan Svege. Through conjugal visits they were able to have four children, but those visits for life prisoners were banned in October 1996. After 24 years of marriage, Kristin divorced Charles after meeting another man in 2003. Kristin and Charles remain friends as parents of their children.

In 2012, Watson disputed a request to release recordings of conversations between himself and his attorney. The recordings became part of a bankruptcy proceeding involving the deceased attorney's law firm. Members of the Los Angeles Police Department believed the recordings might contain clues about unsolved murder cases involving the Manson family. Watson asked the presiding judge to allow police to listen to the tapes but not take possession of them.