GREENVILLE, Texas, Jun. 30 — Donald Lee Laisure is a marrying man. By his own count he has repeated the vows 35 times and profited from the experience.

“I got (wealthy) by using my head. I looked for them (rich women) just like girls looking for rich oilmen,” said Laisure.

But he insists his first 35 marriages didn’t mean a thing — it’s bride No. 36 who has stolen his heart.

Susan Denise Atkins, the former Charles Manson “family” member convicted of murdering actress Sharon Tate in 1969, has announced she will marry Laisure next month in the prison chapel at the California Institute for Women in Frontera, Calif.

I’ve never loved anyone else but Susan. I swear to God,” said Laisure, 52, a balding, portly man described as a “character” by some of the other citizens of this city 80 miles northeast of Dallas.

Laisure drives a brown Fleetwood Cadillac with the words “Filthy Rich” emblazoned across the back in stick-on letters. The car, like his apartment, is adorned with snapshots of women – photos he says will come down when he weds Miss Atkins.

He claims to be a billionaire and says he doesn’t have to work because he has enough money to last until I’m 500 years old.”

Laisure says he has wed 35 times and officials at the Hunt County clerk’s office say they don’t doubt it. County records show Laisure has filed for three divorces in the last year, and has signed two marriage licenses (in addition to the license to marry Miss Atkins) since March.

“He files all the time, and lots of times never goes through with them” one county clerk employee said.

Laisure says he has only married “beauty queens” with money and brains. But he insists he never swindled money out of his girlfriends.

“They would practically force the money on me,” he said.

Laisure said it was love at first sight when he met Miss Atkins alongside a California freeway 15 years ago.

“I almost married her 15-years ago, but I married someone else,” he said, refusing to explain why.

He said they saw each other on and off during the next few years and became so close he received psychic messages from California when she joined the Manson family.

Laisure insists Atkins had nothing to do with the murders. “She did not personally kill anybody. She’s a scapegoat for the state of California.”