(Chowchilla-CA) Susan Atkins, former member of the Manson family who murdered pregnant actress Sharon Tate during a two-day killing spree in 1969, has died of brain cancer.
Atkins was sentenced to life imprisonment for her crimes. Since she entered prison in 1971, Atkins became a born-again Christian who worked to help at-risk youth, victims of violent crimes and homeless children. Despite these actions, Atkins was denied a request for a compassionate release in July 2008.
News of Atkins' death reached released Lockerbie bomber Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi, who due to terminal prostate cancer was granted a compassionate release after having been convicted in the murder of 270 people by a Scottish Court.
He reacted by saying, "Boy, am I lucky!"
