I was intrigued by the sole survivor of the Sharon Tate murders, guest house sitter
William Garretson.
He was a 19 year old drifter from Ohio who hung out on the Sunset Strip. He was picked up while
hitchhiking by talent agent and property owner Rudi Altobelli. Altobelli, a small effeminate gay man,
rented the large house on the property to director Roman Polanski and his wife actress Sharon Tate. Altobelli lived in the guest house. He was so impressed with the amazingly endowed Garretson that he had him move in. He was described
in the news as the caretaker but that was not the case. He balled Altobelli, fed the dogs, worked on his tan, and house sat guest while Altobelli was conducting business and traveling. The killers didn't enter the guest house the night of the murders
where Garretson was relaxing. Altobelli was in Europe and a friend of Garretson's, Steve Parent, dropped
by to visit the night of the murders. Parent left and was stopped by the killers when he was about to drive through the gate and was shot to death. Garretson was arrested when the bodies were discovered and jailed briefly as a possible suspect but was released.
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