Who Is Leslie Van Houten? Age, Biography and Wiki
Leslie Van Houten, born on August 23, 1949, is a prominent figure in American criminal history. As of 2025, she is 76 years old. In the late 1960s, Van Houten was infamously associated with the Manson Family, a cult responsible for a series of gruesome murders. Over the decades, she has undergone significant personal transformations and has remained a subject of public interest and media discussions.
| Occupation | Serial Killers |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | August 23, 1949 |
| Age | 75 Years |
| Birth Place | Altadena, California, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Leo |
| Country | U.S |
Popularity
Leslie Van Houten's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Leslie Van Houten stands at approximately 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm) tall. While her weight has varied throughout her life, as of the most recent data, she weighs around 130 lbs (59 kg). Her body measurements highlight a slender figure, but exact details have not been publicly disclosed.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Leslie's family background includes a turbulent childhood that contributed to her later life decisions. Specific details about her immediate family are sparse, but there is a known estrangement from her parents due to the controversial paths both hers and their lives took. Regarding her relationship status, as of 2025, Leslie has often chosen to keep her personal life private. Reports suggest that she has not been publicly linked with a boyfriend or husband in recent years, focusing instead on her personal development and reintegration into society.
Her father is of Dutch descent, and her mother is of Irish, English, Scottish, and German descent. She grew up in a middle-class churchgoing family along with an older brother and two adopted siblings, a brother and a sister, who were Korean. Her mother and father divorced when she was 14.
She began smoking marijuana, and around the age of 15, began taking LSD. At 17, she ran away with her boyfriend, but returned to complete high school, graduating from Monrovia High School (in Monrovia, California) in 1967.
According to Van Houten, she discovered that she was pregnant and was ordered by her mother to undergo an abortion and bury the fetus in their backyard. Van Houten stated that after that event, she felt very removed from her mother and harbored intense anger toward her.
She had a period of interest in yoga and took a year-long secretarial course, but became a hippie, living at a commune.
Net Worth and Salary
Leslie Van Houten's estimated net worth in 2025 is believed to be around $150,000. While her earnings have drastically fluctuated through various legal proceedings, her limited exposure to lucrative opportunities in her later life has kept her net worth relatively modest.
Career, Business and Investments
Throughout her life, Van Houten's career options have been limited, primarily due to her criminal background. After her release from prison in recent years, she has focused on rehabilitation and activism, promoting awareness about the dangers of cults and their influence. She has spoken at various forums about her experiences, hoping to deter young individuals from falling into similar traps. However, she does not currently own any businesses or investments.
Social Network
Leslie is not very active on social media and has maintained a low profile by avoiding platforms that could reignite media frenzy surrounding her past. However, she has engaged with various social causes and occasionally participates in discussions surrounding mental health and rehabilitation for former inmates.
Van Houten was first portrayed by actress Cathey Paine in the 1976 made-for-TV film Helter Skelter. San Francisco-based actress Connie Champagne portrayed Van Houten in Dude Theater's long-running 1989 stage play The Charlie Manson Story, first at Climate Theater and then Theatre Artaud, a black comedy directed by Christopher Brophy.
The production was the first to de-glamorourize the Manson-myth and to question Manson's belief in the so-called "Helter Skelter". The 2009 film Leslie, My Name Is Evil (released in some countries under the titles Manson Girl and Manson, My Name Is Evil) is partially based on Van Houten's early life and stars actress Kristen Hager as Van Houten.
In Helter Skelter (2004 remake of the 1976 film) Van Houten was portrayed by actress Catherine Wadkins. A year earlier, in 2003, Amy Yates portrayed Leslie Van Houten in the film The Manson Family.
In the 2015 NBC fictional series Aquarius, which centers on the Los Angeles Police Department and the Manson murders, Emma Dumont portrays a character named "Emma", who is loosely based on Van Houten. Tania Raymonde portrayed Van Houten in Susanna Lo's 2016 film Manson Girls.
Later in 2016, Greer Grammer portrayed Van Houten in Leslie Libman's film Manson's Lost Girls, which starred MacKenzie Mauzy as Kasabian. In 2018 she was portrayed by Gabrielle Klobucar in the made-for-TV documentary Inside the Manson Cult: The Lost Tapes.
Also in 2018, English actress Hannah Murray played Van Houten in the feature movie Charlie Says. In 2019, Van Houten was played by Victoria Pedretti in Quentin Tarantino's film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Education
Leslie Van Houten completed her high school education in California. Following her incarceration, she earned her GED and pursued various educational programs while incarcerated, focusing on self-improvement and personal development. Educational activity remains a priority for her, as she seeks to inspire others in similar circumstances.
From August 1968, Manson and his followers were based at the Spahn Ranch. Manson ostensibly ran his Family based on hippie-style principles of acceptance and free love. At the remote ranch, where they were isolated from any other influences, Manson's was the only opinion heard. At every meal he would lecture repetitively.
Van Houten said Manson's attitude was that she "belonged to Bobby". According to Van Houten she and other Manson followers looked to 14-year-old Family member Dianne Lake as the "empty vessel", the epitome of what women were supposed to be in the Manson system of values.
When Barbara Hoyt spoke at Van Houten's parole hearing in 2013, she said that Van Houten was considered a "leader" in the Family.
