Filmmaker Sophia Maddox, 22, learned in 2022 that her grandfather was Charles Manson, the infamous cult leader responsible for orchestrating the 1969 murders of actress Sharon Tate and six others. The revelation came after her father, Daniel Arguelles, who was raised by his mother and stepfather, used a DNA service to identify his biological father.
Maddox described the discovery as "devastating." Her father had long suspected that the man who raised him was not his biological father and had confronted his mother about paternity when he was 21. Years later, in 2015, Arguelles submitted his DNA to Ancestry.com. He eventually matched with Michael Brunner, who was confirmed to be his half-brother. Brunner is the son of Charles Manson and Mary Brunner, one of Manson's early followers.
Maddox's journey to understand her family history is chronicled in the Hulu documentary "My Grandfather Charles Manson." In the film, she interviews individuals with direct ties to Manson, including former followers, in an effort to comprehend her familial link to the notorious criminal.
Manson, who died in 2017 at age 83 while serving a life sentence, was convicted of orchestrating the murders. He cultivated a following of young people in the 1960s, directing them to commit violent acts that prosecutors suggested were intended to incite a race war, inspired by a distorted interpretation of The Beatles' song "Helter Skelter." Despite overwhelming evidence, Manson maintained his innocence.
Arguelles, born in 1959, learned he was the product of a brief relationship between his mother, Darlene Arguelles, and Manson, who was using the alias "Charlie Dear" at the time. While Arguelles resisted delving into his biological father's past, Maddox, a filmmaker, felt compelled to explore it.
"My intention is never to apologize or justify for anybody’s actions," Maddox stated. "I know what my grandfather did." She sought to understand the factors that shaped Manson, not to excuse his crimes, but to potentially gain insight into preventing future violence.
Maddox's research included examining previously unreleased records of Manson's difficult childhood. Born in 1934 to a teenage mother, Kathleen Maddox, his biological father was absent. After his mother was imprisoned for robbery, Charles went to live with relatives. By his teenage years, he was involved in stealing, running away, and moving through juvenile institutions. He later claimed to have experienced abuse and sexual assault during his time in juvenile facilities.
"I heard about my dad’s abuse as a child from a reform school and from his own parents," Maddox said. "My dad’s was really bad, but that was the ’70s. Imagine what it was like back in the ’40s or ’50s. It was shocking how bad they treated boys in these reform schools." Juvenile justice experts consulted for the documentary indicated that Manson's experiences were not unique but were indicative of the survival lessons learned in such environments.
Maddox expressed shock at learning that Manson, institutionalized for offenses like running away and theft, was housed with older juveniles who had violent records. "I was shocked to read that he was imprisoned with kids who had murdered people," she said. "And he was there for running away from home, stealing a bike or stealing a car. But so many boys, older kids with violent records, were placed there. And what does a kid have to do to survive a place like that? It breaks my heart."
As Maddox delved deeper into her family's history, the shared quest that initially united her and her father began to create distance. The father and daughter had a falling out shortly before the documentary's production began. While Arguelles had initially supported his daughter making the film, confronting his biological father's past proved too emotionally taxing for him.
"I have a little more distance from Manson because I am the grandchild, but that’s his father," Maddox explained. "And he’s shared similar experiences in childhood as him. And my dad is a very sensitive person. [But] he was curious. He wanted answers. He wanted me to make this film. But then at the same time, it was all too much."
Arguelles told Fox News Digital that he remains proud of his daughter but suggested their falling out stemmed from a "difference of opinion on the overall narrative."
Maddox also discussed her decision to change her surname. "My dad and I were always trying to find a last name that resonated with us," she said. "I spent a year or two investigating my family and re-looked the name ‘Maddox.’ And when I Googled it, it meant ‘goodness.’ My blood name means goodness. I’m going to own it. That’s mine. I’m giving it new life."
Manson and three followers—Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Leslie Van Houten—were convicted of murder and initially sentenced to death for the 1969 killings. Charles "Tex" Watson was later convicted and sentenced to death as well. Their sentences were commuted to life in prison in 1972. Atkins died in prison in 2009. Van Houten was released on parole in 2023, while Krenwinkel and Watson remain incarcerated. Maddox has reportedly been in contact with relatives of the victims, stating that these interactions have been positive and that they understand her reasons for telling the story.