Bruce McGregor Davis (born October 5, 1942) is an American criminal and former member of theManson Family who has been described asCharles Manson's "right-hand man".[1][2]
Davis was editor of his high school yearbook and attended theUniversity of Tennessee for three years, dropping out due to poor grades.[5] In 1962, he hitchhiked to California, where he worked for a time as a barback atHarrah's Lake Tahoe.[6] Davis stated that he regularly consumedcannabis andLSD, hitchhiked and lived as a drifter.[7] In The Family,Ed Sanders claimed Davis metCharles Manson and his associatesMary Brunner,Lynette Fromme, andPatricia Krenwinkel in Oregon in 1967,[8] but Davis himself said in a February 2023 interview that he met Manson inTopanga in 1968, shortly after having been arrested in front of aMalibu, California liquor store for drug possession.[9] Davis states that when they first met, Manson was in a bathtub outdoors, being bathed by around five girls, and that Davis primarily joined the family because of the girls and drugs.[10]
Davis traveled to Europe and spent time traveling in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, and claims he was introduced to Scientology after arriving in London in November 1968 when he was invited by girls he met after stepping out of the Earl's Court underground station.[11] He says he first heard about Scientology from Manson, but that he did not think Manson was very knowledgeable about it.[12] This conflicts with Manson's claim that he was "Theta Clear", the highest level within Scientology.[13] Davis lived in London from November 1968 to April 1969 while working at theChurch of Scientology headquarters.[14] Manson picked him up fromLAX on his return, and that was when Davis first noticed Manson's change in ideology as he embraced Helter Skelter.[15]
Davis was present when, in July 1969, Manson allegedly cutGary Hinman's left ear. Hinman was allegedly stabbed to death byBobby Beausoleil one day, although neither Manson nor Davis were present when Hinman was murdered. In late August, Davis did participate in the murder of Spahn's Ranch handDonald "Shorty" Shea.
Davis said that he was at Spahn Ranch on August 8, 1969, the night of the Tate murders. He says thatSusan Atkins approached him, saying that they were going out tonight and that Manson wanted him to come, but that he refused.[16] Davis said the same thing occurred the following night, the night of the LaBianca murders.[17]
Davis was present when, on November 5, 1969, John Philip Haught aka "Zero", allegedly killed himself playingRussian roulette.[18] Davis claimed in an April 2023 interview that he was in the front room of the house, and heard a popping from the back room. He thought they were setting off firecrackers, until "Patty" (Madeline Cottage) came in and told him Zero shot himself.[19] He stated that the gun was a "Sears Roebuck High Standard .22 automatic",[20] asemi-automatic firearm that cannot be used to play Russian roulette. Manson prosecutorVincent Bugliosi wrote inHelter Skelter that the gun police found was a .22 caliberIver Johnsonrevolver.[21] Davis also stated that he had put his finger on the muzzle of the firearm after the shooting, and that the police found his fingerprints,[22] while Bugliosi wrote that the police did not find any fingerprints on the pistol.[23]
At some point after these events, Davis went into hiding, ultimately turning himself in on December 2, 1970.[24]
In 1972, Davis was convicted in Los Angeles County of two counts of first-degree murder for the killings of Hinman and Shea, conspiracy to commit murder, and robbery. California having recently abolished the death penalty, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.[25][26][27] He began his sentence on April 21, 1972. He became a preacher in the prison chapel[28] and has kept a clean disciplinary record since 1980. He was found suitable for parole in 2010,[29] 2012,[30] 2014,[31] 2015,[32] 2017,[33] 2019,[34] and 2021.[35][36] In each case, the sitting Governor reversed the decision.[37] In July 2022, the two-member panel board denied him parole. His lawyer said that the panel highlighted Davis's "lack of empathy".[38] He is currently imprisoned atSan Quentin State Prison where he is serving his life sentence.
Bruce Davis BBC Interview with Bill Scanlon-Murphy