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May 4, 2008 11:30 pm US/Eastern
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DeFede: Could There Be More Manson Family Victims?
Police Dig Up Barker Ranch Where Family Lived
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Forty years later, the Manson murders continue to captivate Americans.
Seven murders over two bloody nights. But were there more victims?
Police in California are investigating that very real possibility since one of the Manson girls has brought forth new information.
CBS4's Jim Defede brings us an interview with a man who spent an incredible amount of time with the Manson family and has details never heard before.
Few people know more about the Manson family and the ranch that became their hideout than gold prospector Emmett Harder.
"I didn't realize this guy was gonna bring all the troubles he could on the world," said Harder.
Harder was mining one camp away from the Barker ranch when Tex Watson, Charles Manson and his girls moved in.
"We're in the middle of nowhere, they came up and introduced themselves and this fellow said he was Charles Manson. That didn't mean anything to me," recalled Harder.
He said Watson, who would go on to kill Sharon Tate, gave him a bad feeling. But he said he liked the women Manson had around him and they once showed him what they called their washing machine.
"A little swimming pool and the girls were in there naked jumping up and down to wash their clothes. I said I'd be the worst witness for the prosecution because I couldn't say anything bad about these people," said Harder referring to the Manson family.
But the seven known victims of the Manson family may not be the only ones. After the trial two of the Manson girls told Harder there were more bodies to be found. Harder told police but a brief search at the time turned up nothing.
But today there is renewed interest and with Harder as their guide, a team of detectives and forensic investigators recently returned to the site
"They're looking for two people that were there they never heard from again," said Harder.
Cadaver dogs near the ranch recently got a hit on three possible gravesites.
With cutting edge forensic technology, investigators tested the soil near the ranch looking for evidence of decomposing bodies. What they found led to one conclusion - dig.
Harder said, "If their scientific research and what they've done is accurate, we should bring closure to those families."
Additional tests at the ranch are expected in the coming days and depending on the results of those tests new digging could begin in the area as early as next week.
Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme spent time in the California desert with Manson and now from behind prison walls says she wants to help authorities with their investigation.
Fromme was the Manson follower who tried to assassinate President Gerald Ford in 1975.
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