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Nitie Held in Case: Band Also Linked to La Bianca Murders BY JERRY COHEN Times Statt Writer Police believe they have solved the Sharon Tate murder case and that an occult band of hippies, directed by a leader who calls himself "Jesus," committed the five killings. Membvrs of the band—a mystical, hate oriented tribe of 20th century nomads—also are suspected of the La Bianca — or "copycat" — killings and at least four other comparably grotesque butcheries. The suspects slew their victims, police believe, both to "punish" them for their affluent life style and to "liberate" them from it. The killers invaded the Tate and La Bianca households, it is suspect- ed, because they learned about the victims' affluence through friends or relatives of those slain. Police have found no evidence of association between the suspects and the victims prior to the mur- ders, it was reported Monday. The cult leader, Charles Manson, 34, who also refers to himself as "God" and "Satan," is in custody, along with a man and two young women. A third young woman is being sought out-of-state, but her whereabouts is believed known. At least five other women are being held in Sybil Brand Institute here as material witnesses. All are members of Manson's "family," as the tribe calls itself. They reportedly consider them- selves his "slaves," willing to do his bidding without question. Police got their break about two weeks ago when a young woman member of the outlaw hippie clan poured out to'an informer an eerie s ass murder and. sadistic sexual gratification. bs aaa oa ——a