◆ SpookStack

Why were Sharon Tate and six others singled out as the targets of two murder ram- pages last August? That is a question that even the upcoming trial may not answer, Deputy Dist. Attys. Aaron H. Stovitz and Vincent T. Bug- liosi are prohibited from com- menting on theories about the murder motive because of a court-ordered publicity gag. However, it is known that even in the prosecutors’ minds there remains a great deal of mystery about the mo- tive. ~==—ermHstn, Miss Krenwinkel and Miss Atkins face seven counts of mrarder for the slay- ing of Miss Tate and four oth- ers at her Benedict Canyon estate last Aug. 9, and the killing of La Bianca and his wife, Rosemary, at their Los Feliz home. the next night. Miss Van Houten is charged with murder only in the La Bianca deaths. All that remains before the start of the trial is the selec- tion of six alternate jurors. Seven men and five women were sworn in Tuesday as the jury to hear the case. They range in age from a 25-year-old chemical company technician to a 74-year-old re- tired deputy sheriff. Superior Court Judge Charles H. Older has ordered them locked up at the Ambas- sador Hotel after each court day. They. will remaii seques- tered for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last between three and six months. This same panel will be asked to sit on the penalty phase of the trial. Tt was put forth at the time of the December grand jury hearings in the case that the motive was somehow tied to Terry Melcher, Doris Day’s son who had lived at, the ien-- edict Canyon estate beforé Miss Tate, ; Meleher had refused to ar- | range a recording contract for Manson, a guitar player: and, self -styled soul singer. Investigators, howeyve tr, have determined that Manson and his followers knew that Melcher no longer lived at the 10050 Cielo Drive house. Miss Atkins, who has’ since repudiated her testimony be- fore the grand jury, hinted that the slayings were “to frighten the Establishment.” She said the La Bianca, kill —— ee SN | the following ‘night ~" were ordered by Manson so “we wouldn’t lose our nerve.” As to how the La Bianeas were selected, all that 4s known is that Manson and his “family” had previously Visit- ed Harold True, a former next-oor neighbor of the gro- cery store executive. True had moved before the La Bianca slaying. According to Miss Atkins, the visits to the True house were several months earlier for the purpose of participat- ing in “pot parties and LSD TRS is