Bruce Davis, Charles Manson follower, dies in California prison at 83

Bruce Davis, a key member of the Charles Manson Family cult, died in a California prison hospital on Friday, September 11, 2026. He was 83 years old. Davis was pronounced dead at 11:03 p.m. at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, according to corrections officials. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed by the Solano County Coroner's Office. Davis was convicted in 1972 of two counts of murder for the slayings of musician Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald "Shorty" Shea in 1969. He was sentenced to life in prison. While he was not involved in the more notorious killings of actress Sharon Tate and six others, prosecutors and state officials repeatedly described Davis as an integral member of Manson's inner circle. During a 2014 parole hearing, Davis stated, "I wanted to be Charlie's favorite guy." He had been found suitable for parole eight times since 2010, but his release was blocked by three consecutive California governors: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jerry Brown, and Gavin Newsom. In rejecting his parole in 2021, Governor Newsom said Davis had minimized his role in the crimes and shown a lack of empathy for his victims.