Bruce Davis, a convicted follower of Charles Manson who was sentenced to life in prison for his role in two 1969 killings, died in a California prison hospital on Sept. 11 at the age of 83, state corrections officials confirmed Monday.
Davis was pronounced dead at 11:03 p.m. at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, according to Mary Xjimenez, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
Convictions and Role in the Manson Family
Davis was convicted in 1972 of two counts of murder for the killings of Gary Hinman, a 34-year-old aspiring musician, and Donald “Shorty” Shea, a 35-year-old Hollywood stuntman. Both victims were associated with the Spahn Ranch in Chatsworth, California, where Manson and his followers lived.
Prosecutors and corrections officials described Davis as a key member of Manson’s inner circle, though he was not directly involved in the group’s most infamous murders, including the 1969 killings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others in Benedict Canyon. Davis served most of his sentence at San Quentin State Prison.
During a 2014 parole hearing, Davis acknowledged his closeness to Manson, stating, “I wanted to be Charlie’s favorite guy.”
Details of the Killings
According to court records and parole documents:
- Gary Hinman was targeted after Manson believed he could provide financial support for the group’s planned move to the desert. When Hinman refused, Manson slashed him from ear to chin while Davis held him at gunpoint.
- Donald Shea was killed after Manson accused him of being a police informant attempting to remove the group from the ranch. Davis admitted to stabbing Shea, with Manson, Steve Grogan, and Charles “Tex” Watson also participating in the attack.
Davis was sentenced to life in prison and remained incarcerated for over 50 years before his death. He was last found suitable for parole in 2017, though he was denied release by then-Gov. Jerry Brown.