Some begin to connect the dots

Around early June of 1968 several Family members traveled up to the Mendocino area to look for possible locations to resettle. Among them were Bobby Beausoleil, Mary Brunner, Susan Atkins, Stephanie Rowe, Ella Jo Bailey and Patricia Kerenwinkel. The group stayed at a house off Route 28 near Philo. They were arrested on multiple drug charges after giving LSD to a group of local kids. At their trial (in September of '68), they were nicknamed the Witches of Mendocino.

On October 13, 1968, two women were found beaten and strangled to death near Ukiah, California. One, Clida Dulaney, was the 8 months pregnant wife of a CHP officer. The other victim, Nancy Warren, was Dulaney's 64-year-old grandmother. The murders were ritualistic in nature, with 36 leather thongs wrapped around each victim’s throat.

Many, including former Inyo County District Attorney Frank Fowles were certain that the Family had murdered the women to retaliate for the harassment they received as a result of their drug activity and subsequent arrests and convictions.