A visual perspective of Gresham Street might be helpful when
attempting to put things together that are related to the Manson Family.
We obtained some aerial photos of the Gresham Street house
and its surroundings taken after the murders and, I believe, at the time Shorty’s
car was found. Mary Brunner was
questioned on December 4, 1969 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin by Det. Sgt. Paul Whiteley. She told Whiteley that Tex told her “they”
had killed Shorty and ditched his car near the old Gresham Street address. Law enforcement went to the Gresham Street
address and located Shorty’s missing car rather quickly. It was a stone’s throw from the old Gresham
Street house.
Gresham Street was a dirt road back then.
A report dated 10-21-70 states the following:
The undersigned proceeded to the Gresham Street address and
around the corner at 8864 Independence, the vehicle was observed, apparently
abandoned due to heavy layers of dust and rain spots. A latent print deputy was
called and Deputy P. Chamousie responded. The vehicle was impounded and dusted
for prints which were lifted from a foot locker in the trunk and later
identified as the palm prints of Bruce Davis. The vehicle contained numerous
clothing, a foot locker with the name "Donald James Shea" and personal
effects. The vehicle was impounded at the Calabasses Garage. This vehicle was
registered to Barbara P. Enfield, 12121 LaMaida, North Hollywood, California.
Miss Enfield was subsequently contacted by Deputy Guenther and stated she had
sold the vehicle to Donald Jerome Shea approximately May 1969.
Here is a Google map of how the
area looks today. The address where the
car was found, 8864 Independence Avenue is marked. The Gresham Street house is no longer there and has been replaced by apartment buildings. It also appears that the street has been
re-numbered. Gresham Street is only two
blocks long.
As far as the report’s statement
that Miss Enfield was contacted by Deputy Guenther, it didn’t happen. Barbara Enfield died July 18, 1969. However, Miss Enfield’s son, John, was contacted and
stated that he was the person who sold his mother’s car to Shorty after her
death. As an aside, Barbara Enfield was an actress better known as Barbara Pepper.
Now, here is the aerial photo of
the area showing “Vance’s House”, an X with the initials LS house in black
marking pen. In blue ball point pen to
the left of the other markings is another X and illegible letters which is
where Shorty’s car was found. The
initials LS denote Lee Saunooke.
Here is another aerial, this time
showing Vance’s house, marked with black marker in the center of the D in the
watermark. At the bottom of the photo is
LS house, again denoting Lee Saunooke’s home.
The Gresham Street house had a main
house in front, a much smaller house at the back of the property and a number
of chicken coops in the yard with a large garage up front next to the main
house.
More pictures of the house taken by
law enforcement.
This is a photo of Shorty’s car where
it was found. Shorty’s car is not the VW
bug!
These next two photos were in the
San Fernando Valley Times, December 11, 1969.
