In the first of a two-part special, Laura takes us back to the very beginning of the Charles Manson story. This week’s episode starts by looking at Charles Manson’s mother, Kathleen, before unravelling the details of Charles’ childhood, his troubled teenage years, his time in and out of prison, and what led him to establish his ‘family’, which would later become a murderous cult.

Murder They Wrote with Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling is available weekly on BBC Sounds. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode. Email us at [email protected].