Jet Set Attends Funerals of Bel Air Slaying Victims
Thursday, August 14th, 1969
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 14 – Members of the jet set attended funerals yesterday for actress Sharon Tate and internationally known hairdresser Jay Sebring, slain with three others at the film star’s home in swanky Bel Air.
Peter Sellers, Yul Brynner and Warren Beatty flew from London to attend Miss Tate’s funeral, along with Hollywood actors Kirk Douglas, James Coburn and Stuart Whitman.
Roman Polanski, Miss Tate’s film-director husband, attended services for his wife in the morning then joined actors Steve McQueen and Paul Newman at Sebring’s funeral in the afternoon.
Miss Tate and Sebring, her former boyfriend, were killed with coffee heiress Abigail Folger, 26, screenwriter Voityck Frokowsky, 37, and Steven Parent, 18, a friend of a caretaker at the rented mansion.
Officers who found their bodies Saturday morning called the slaughter “ritualistic.” Sebring had a hood over his head and a rope tied loosely around his neck. It looped over a ceiling beam and around the actress. The word “pig” was scrawled on the door in what appeared to be the victims’ blood. They had been shot and stabbed.
Police refused comment on published reports that drugs were found at the scene.
Flowers sent by friends of Miss Tate were piled on the lawn in front of the Good Shepherd Church in Beverly Hills where her services were held. Inside, two bouquets of marguerites sent by Coburn were placed to the left and right of her casket.
Polanski sat in the right front of the church, along with Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tate, parents of the actress, and her two teenage sisters, Patricia and Deborah.
Mrs. Tate retained her composure until the Rev. Peter O’Reilly said, “Goodbye, Sharon, and may the angels welcome you to heaven, and the martyrs guide your way…”
At that point, she broke into sobs and Polanski helped her walk out of the chapel.
Very interesting.
I go to this church.
Thank you for sharing this part of Sharon Tate’s life and death.
George Vreeland Hill