Who is Charles Manson and where are his 'family' cult members now?

Amid reports that the notorious 1960's killer cult leader Charles Manson has been taken from his California prison cell to a hospital, a state corrections official would confirm only that the 82-year-old was still alive.

It is approaching five decades since followers of the failed rock star and charismatic psychopath murdered pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others at a home in Hollywood, Los Angeles, in a crime that for many signalled the end of the idealism of the 'flower power' generation.

Several of Manson's followers remain in jail for their roles in the crimes, while others are free and built new lives after their time in the cult.

IBTimes UK looks at what has become of the cult leader and other members of his 'Manson Family' acolytes.

What happened to Charles Manson?

In the years since the murders Manson has become one of the most infamous figures in American criminal history, inspiring bands and movies, and even attempting to marry a besotted fan in 2015. Reports suggest that 82-year-old Manson may be seriously ill, and has been transferred from a California prison to a hospital.

Manson was found guilty of murder for ordering the Tate killings, as well as the subsequent killing of grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. He was sentenced to death, but after California overturned capital punishment in 1972 the sentence was reduced to life in prison.

During his incarceration he has been found guilty of numerous disciplinary offences, including having a mobile telephone and a weapon. Manson has been denied parole 12 times, and his next parole hearing is scheduled for 2027, when he will be 92.

What happened to Leslie Van Houten?

Former homecoming princess Van Houten was one of the three female followers dubbed 'Charlie's girls' convicted alongside the cult leader.

She reportedly came under his spell after being introduced to him by a boyfriend, and was indoctrinated in his belief that the murders were necessary to spark a race war that would cleanse civilisation.

She was convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence for holding down Rosemary LaBianca as she was stabbed numerous times.

In jail, she has been a model prisoner and has denounced Manson and expressed repentance. She was recommended for parole in April 2016. However, the decision was reversed by California governor Jerry Brown, with the decision upheld by a LA County Superior Court judge who claimed she was still a threat.

What happened to Charles 'Tex' Watson?

Manson's right hand man, Watson was sentenced to life for murder and is now 70 and remains behind bars.

In prison, Watson has become an ordained minister and fathered four children during conjugal visits.

He has denounced Manson through the website of his ministry, which claims "Manson offered a utopia, but in reality he had a destructive worldview His (Watson's) participation in the 1969 Manson murders is a part of history that he deeply regrets."

Watson has been denied parole 17 times. His most recent parole rejection was in October, 2016.

What happened to Susan Atkins?

A member of Manson's 'Charlie's girls' trio, Atkins died in prison in 2009, aged 61. She is the only follower of the cult leader to have died behind bars.

Nicknamed Sexy Sadie, the former stripper was one of Manson's closest followers and was convicted of stabbing pregnant actress Tate to death as she pleaded for the life of her unborn child.

Atkins married twice after she was jailed and converted to Christianity, expressing remorse for her crimes.

She was denied parole 13 times, with her second husband representing her at several hearings.

What happened to Patricia Krenkwinkel?

The third of the female followers jailed alongside Manson, Patricia Krenkwinkel is the longest serving woman prisoner in California, and has been denied parole 13 times. She met Manson at a party, and quit her job to join the family the following day.

She was convicted for her role in stabbing the LaBiancas to death, and writing 'Death to Pigs' on the wall in blood afterwards. She was also part of the group that broke into the house of Sharon Tate, chasing down and stabbing to death coffee heiress Abigail Folger.

In jail, she has been a model prisoner, and runs rehabilitation programmes for offenders. She has also denounced Manson from prison. "What I am today is not what I was at 19," Krenwinkel said in the 2014 documentary "My Life After Manson."

What happened to Lynette 'Squeaky' Fromme?

Fromme was a member of the cult but was never charged with a role in the murders. In 1975, she was arrested attempting to assassinate US President Gerald Ford. In prison, she continued to correspond with Manson.

In 1987, she escaped from prison in West Virginia, and was recaptured days later. She was released from prison in 2009, aged 60. According to reports she planned to move to upstate New York after her release.

What happened to Linda Kasabian?

Kasabian acted as the getaway driver for the followers who committed the Tate–LeBianca murders. Horrified by the killings, she turned witness against the cult leader and his cohorts and was granted immunity. She is 61, a mother of four, and believed to be living in New Hampshire.