Talking to authorities on Oct. 12, Lutesinger said that Atkins had gone with Beausoleil to Hinman’s house on Manson’s orders, to collect money from him. Word at the ranch was, some sort of fight ensued and Hinman was killed. Lutesinger recalled a conversation with Atkins and several girls in which Atkins said she had stabbed a man several times in the legs.
On Oct. 13, investigators questioned Atkins, who said she and Beausoleil stayed at Hinman’s house for two days, basically holding him hostage, before Beausoleil ultimately stabbed him to death. Atkins was also booked on suspicion of murder. She didn’t mention Manson.
On Oct. 15, the Los Angeles Police Department, which was investigating Tate-LaBianca, finally checked in with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office, which had the Hinman case, to see if they had any similar crimes. As it turned out, “political piggy” was written in blood on the wall at Hinman’s place. On Oct. 20, the sheriff’s office relayed Lutesinger’s recollection of Atkins’ claims to LAPD detectives, because Hinman hadn’t been stabbed in the legs; rather, Voytek Frykowski had.
Investigators eventually interviewed Lutesinger on Oct. 31, 11 days later.
