CHINO, CALIFORNIA: Former member of the Manson Family, Leslie Van Houten, was released from prison on parole on Tuesday, July 11, marking the end of her over five-decade-long imprisonment. Given the notoriety of the Mason murders case, people want to learn more about her ex-husband, the man she was married to during her involvement in the cult, and subsequent conviction for murder.
Van Houten, 73, was previously married to a fellow inmate, William Syvin, with the duo tying the knot on August 23, 1982, during their time in prison. However, their marriage was short-lived, lasting only two months before they divorced on October 26, 1982. The reason for their divorce has not been publicly disclosed.
Who is William Syvin?
There is limited information available about William Syvin aka Bill Cywin. However, he was granted permission to correspond with Van Houten in 1981, and their communication progressed to in-person visits after his release. They eventually got married in a small ceremony held within the prison and were allowed conjugal visits.
Allegedly, Syvin was linked to a scheme to help Van Houten escape from prison. A prison matron's uniform was reportedly found in his apartment during a police investigation. However, Van Houten maintained that she had no knowledge of his plan and promptly severed all communication and contact with him following the discovery.
Why was Leslie Van Houten imprisoned?
Van Houten has been associated with several aliases throughout her life. Some of the known aliases attributed to her include Louella Alexandria, Leslie Marie Sankston, Linda Sue Owens, and Lulu. Born on August 23, 1949, she apparently began taking drugs like LSD and Benzedrine as a teenager and ran away from home for a brief period before returning to finish school. She joined the Manson Family in 1969 after meeting Catherine Share and Bobby Beausoleil in San Francisco. The group relocated to southern California and became associated with Charles Manson, severing all ties with their real family.
That same year, Van Houten, then 19, was implicated in the murders of Leno LaBianca, a grocer in Los Angeles, and his wife, Rosemary. Acting upon Charles Manson's instructions, Van Houten, alongside Tex Watson and Patricia Krenwinkel, entered the LaBianca home and participated in their killing. Following her arrest, Van Houten cooperated with authorities regarding the LaBianca murders. She was found guilty of the crime in 1970 and was initially sentenced to death. However, it was later commuted to life in prison with the possibility of parole, according to the Orange County Register.
