Candy Stevens is among those people who are both praised and criticized for their actions. You, too, may know the feeling when you do something having your own reasons and get a mixed public reaction.
So, what was Candy’s case? Well, you can call it fate or bad luck that Candy Stevens crossed paths with the famous criminal, Charles Manson, and fell in love with him.
Stevens did everything in her power to save her husband from jail time and from other legal troubles; that included lying for him again and again, even lying about her pregnancy to get sympathy.
Many would argue that what she did was absolutely WRONG! Yes, it was. But, seeing from her point of view, not so much.
Having a husband who is into these kinds of activities is not easy at all; it leaves you with very few choices when things start to go south.
You may have watched the famous Netflix TV series “Narcos,” based on the life events of one of the most famous drug lords of all time, Pablo Escobar.
If you have, you’d remember, in the second season, when circumstances begin to get out of Escobar’s control, he constantly changes his residences with his wife, mother, and kids.
What I mean is that you can only imagine, or you can’t even imagine, what it feels like being watched all the time to be on the target all the time.
This article will take a look at the life of Candy Stevens, the wife of the dangerous criminal Charles Manson. Let’s begin, shall we?
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Who Is Candy Stevens?
Candy Stevens used to work as a prostitute before marrying Charles Manson. She was born in Los Angeles, California, USA, but her birth date is still unknown.
And, yes, Candy Stevens is not her real name; Leona Stevens (Leona Rae Musser) is. Her birth date might be unknown, but some reliable sources claim that she was born in 1940, six years after the birth of his husband, Charles.
Before meeting with the criminal, Charles, she was a prostitute, and Candy Stevens is the pseudonym she used at that time.
Her real name is either Leona Rae Stevens or Leona Rae Musser. There is not much information about her early life.
It is pretty reasonable, though. Why would anyone be interested in the early life, birth date, family, or birthplace of a hooker?
The only reason she came into the media’s spotlight is because of her marriage to the criminal Charles Manson.
Everything was going okay until the day she and Charles crossed paths. You can call it luck or a wrong turn that she met him.
Candy Stevens has dark brown eyes and dark brown hair. According to some sources, 7 is her lucky number, and purple is her favorite color.
Furthermore, she loves gardening and reading new books for her entertainment and to release stress.
Candy Stevens & Charles Manson’s Relationship:
One fine night when Candy or Leona was doing what she used to do good when she met Charles Manson, who later became her regular customer.
He used to come to her often and used to pay her more than her other customers. They both fell in love after some time.
Manson was involved in some “not-so-good-actually-bad” activities, and he would often get in legal trouble. He used his wife several times to gain sympathy from the jury and the judge.
This act played out really well in his favor several times. It is also not clear whether prostitution was her profession or whether it was Charles who forced her to become one.
Anyways, they both started dating each other. They were in a relationship before their marriage.
Her testimony to gain sympathy got her husband a reduced sentence. Soon after he got out, he tied the knot with Leona Stevens in 1959.
I don’t think she expected the troubles and problems that were waiting for her when she married a criminal.
She proved to be a loyal partner of Charles Manson because, no matter what, she always defended her husband even after knowing he was wrong.
What Did Charles Manson Use To Do?
Charles Manson is famous for being a murderer and convicted criminal. He had a harsh and violent nature (the perfect kind for a criminal like him).
It is believed that he has committed nine murders and was planning for another murder (his tenth) but got caught.
He has been accused of murdering two people directly and seven people indirectly and setting fire to four different properties.
Among his many victims was Sharon Tate, who was a famous actress and model of her time, hailing from the USA.
Here’s a fun fact: Many, or I think, all of you know Charles Manson as a criminal, offender, murderer, and conspiracist, but did you know that he was also a singer and songwriter?
Manson was a member of a music band. He also had some rather irrational religious thoughts, and he was a leader of a cult.
A lot of people believe that his teachings inspired his students to kill other people; his students/believers were also his accomplices in his other crimes.
In the 1970s, he was facing his last trial for the murders of seven people and a conspiracy to kill another. He was found guilty of all these charges, and this time his wife wasn’t there to protect him.
The court gave him a death sentence. Due to the landmark decision of California v. Anderson, death sentences in the state of California were banned, in simpler words.
This meant that Charles Manson’s death sentence couldn’t be executed now. He had the opportunity to request life imprisonment instead of a death sentence; he did.
When & Why Did Charles & Candy Stevens Get Divorce?
Before marrying Candy Stevens, Charles was married to Rosalie Willis from 1955 to 1958 for three years.
She filed for divorce, and they got separated after some time. Charles has one son from Rosalie Willis, named Charles Manson Jr.
It is believed that Charles Manson Jr. didn’t like being called the son of a convicted murderer, and he literally tried everything he could to get away from his father’s acts, but he couldn’t.
Eventually, he killed himself, thinking it was the last resort. Same with Candy Stevens. She tried everything she could to protect her husband from troubles, but… to an extent.
Once, both Candy and Charles were accused of serious crimes, and Candy knew there was only one way to save herself from all this.
And you can pretty much understand what she did. She took the face-saving path by revealing every secret she knew about her husband and becoming a witness against him.
In 1963, she filed for divorce, and they got separated. She paid one last visit to her ex-husband in jail, and she never met him again.
Charles Manson was bound to serve the rest of his life in prison due to his life imprisonment sentence. After serving 45 years, on the 19th of November 2017, he died due to cardiac arrest.
Where Is Candy Stevens Now?
There’s not much information about where Candy Stevens went after giving the divorce to Charles. She had one son with Charles, named Charles Luther Manson.
Some sources say that she went underground with her son, avoiding the sharp eyes of the media and the people.
This is why it is difficult to say where Candy Stevens is today or is she even alive or not. What do you think?
Conclusion:
This was a detailed look at the life of Candy Stevens before and after meeting Charles Manson. What do you think? Was she right to do what she did?
That’s all folk. Let me know your opinions in the comments, Thanks for reading this far. Till next time. PEACE!
