Marina Habe Murder

In this investigation, we have methodically examined the facts, relying on cold, clinical language—phrases like “sexual assault” and “the autopsy report indicated.” Yet, amidst this necessary analysis, it’s vital to remember the person at the heart of this tragedy—a real individual who suffered a horrific end.

While much about Marina Habe’s personal life remains unknown, those who knew her described her with words like “enchanting,” “intelligent,” “quiet,” “kind,” “artistic,” and “beautiful.”

Marina had an exciting life ahead of her. A young woman living just steps away from Hollywood’s bright lights and surrounded by famous faces, she was pursuing her dream of becoming an artist—just like her mother and father. She had everything going for her until her life was tragically cut short.

When doing countless hours of research on a person, you can’t help but feel an emotional connection. In telling Marina’s story, my hope is to keep her memory alive, reclaim her humanity, and ensure she is remembered as an individual with dreams, loved ones, and a life, not just as a victim of a crime.

Her brutal murder shattered her parents’ lives. Her mother, in particular, carried the unbearable weight of grief for 48 years until her passing at the age of 99. She reportedly never fully recovered from the loss of her beloved daughter. After all, it’s almost impossible to imagine any parent ever truly recovering from the loss of a child.

As time passes, the chances of solving a cold case decrease, but hope remains. Although rare, decades-old cases are sometimes solved, often aided by advances in DNA technology. Breakthroughs in cases like the 1968 murder of Anita Piteau (solved in 2020) and the 1974 murder of Arlis Perry (solved in 2018) highlight the impact of these advancements.

However, some cold cases are still solved using old-school techniques—such as the 1977 murder of Jeannette Ralston, which was solved in 2025 thanks to a thumbprint on a cigarette carton. With continued dedication and the aid of both traditional methods and new technologies, Marina Habe’s case could still be solved.

Marina & The Hustons→

In late 1969, the case took an unexpected turn as homicide detectives began focusing on a group known to frequent Sunset Boulevard and the Sunset Strip around the same time Marina Habe did. On December 12, 1969, a newspaper article appeared with the headline: Same Tate Murder Knives Believed Used in Girl Case.

The opening of the article read: “The teen-age daughter of screenwriter Hans Habe may have been slashed to death by the same knives that killed actress Sharon Tate and six others, it had been learned today.”¹

Following the Manson Family’s arrest for the Tate-LaBianca murders, investigators intensified their investigation into the Marina Habe case, suspecting that Manson’s followers might have been involved in her death.

But did the Manson Family truly play a role in Marina Habe’s murder, or was this narrative fueled by sensationalism? Let’s delve into the facts and separate truth from fiction.

Welcome to Manson territory

Marina Habe graduated from University High School in West Los Angeles in June 1968, placing her in the vicinity of many of the routes the Manson Family traveled at that time. This was when Manson mingled with celebrities like the Beach Boys and Terry Melcher on Sunset Boulevard.

The young man Marina had a date with on the night she disappeared, John Hornburg, lived surprisingly close to the Manson Family on Sunset Boulevard during the spring and summer of 1968; their addresses were separated by a three-minute drive.

Marina Habe lived just a one-minute drive from the Whisky a Go Go. It was at this iconic nightclub that Charles Manson famously cleared the dance floor with his gyrating dance moves during a visit in the summer of 1968.

Even more significantly, Manson Family member Charles ‘Tex’ Watson—one of Sharon Tate’s killers—lived just around the corner from Marina in West Hollywood in early 1968, before he joined the Manson Family. Their addresses were only a four-minute walk apart.

Marina had also dated someone with ties to the Manson Family: the brother of Sonic Youth singer Kim Gordon, who was acquainted with Bobby Beausoleil, a member of the Manson Family. Beausoleil was later convicted of what became known as the first Manson Family murder.

These numerous connections raise the question: Was Marina Habe merely in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was she a specific target? To explore this further, we must first establish her whereabouts during the spring and summer of 1968.

Marina Habe’s Whereabouts in 1968

Marina Habe lived in West Hollywood from at least 1962 and remained there throughout her high school years. Marina attended Bancroft Junior High, which fed into Fairfax High School. She spent two years at Fairfax, located on Melrose Avenue, before transferring to University High School in West Los Angeles.

Marina graduated from University High in June 1968.² She completed her exams in May, with the graduation ceremony taking place in June. Marina’s photo appears on page 154 of the 1968 University High yearbook.

At University High, where Marina spent her final two years, she was in close proximity to several future Manson Family members before they joined the group. Notably, one member involved in the Tate-LaBianca murders also attended University High—the same school as Marina. More on that later.

After graduating from University High School in June 1968, Marina attended the University of Hawaii. As a freshman, she likely began her first semester in late August or early September 1968, which is the typical start of the academic year.

In January 1969, her father, Hans Habe, informed reporters that he had last seen Marina during the summer of 1968. Although Marina frequently visited her father in Switzerland, it remains unclear whether Hans had traveled to the United States that summer or if Marina had made a trip to Switzerland herself.

Given that Marina’s graduation ceremony took place in June 1968, it seems reasonable to assume that Hans likely traveled to the United States to attend the event—especially considering the close bond he shared with his daughter and his frequent travel between the U.S. and Europe.

If Hans visited the U.S. for her graduation, it is highly probable that Marina was also in the U.S. during the summer of 1968.

This timeline places Marina Habe in Los Angeles during the spring and early summer of 1968, and possibly throughout the summer until late August. This confirms she was in close proximity to the Manson Family during that time frame.

With Marina living in Los Angeles during this period, the overlap with the Manson Family becomes more than just coincidental—it becomes geographic. One key location where these worlds may have brushed up against each other was Sunset Boulevard.

The Sunset Boulevard Connection

Sunset Boulevard, a legendary street synonymous with Hollywood glamour, played a crucial role in the Manson Family saga. Manson and his followers frequently visited the home of Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson, located at 14400 Sunset Boulevard. Manson and his clan even lived there for a period during the spring and summer of 1968.³

John Hornburg, Marina Habe’s date on the night she disappeared, lived just a short distance away at 13326 Sunset Boulevard. The distance between 14400 and 13326 Sunset Boulevard is approximately a 3-minute drive.

As a 1969 newspaper article reported, “Police said Miss Habe left her home Sunday to meet her date for the evening, John Hornburg, 22, at his house at 13326 Sunset Blvd.”⁴

Manson Family member Tex Watson wrote that while staying on Sunset Boulevard, the Manson girls did garbage runs at supermarkets in both the Brentwood and Palisades areas. The Brentwood area includes a section of Sunset Boulevard where John Hornburg lived. Watson further mentioned that he regularly drove the girls on these garbage runs.⁵

The Manson Family regularly passed by Hornburg’s home on their route between Dennis Wilson’s home on Sunset Boulevard and Spahn’s Movie Ranch, another Manson Family hangout. Marina Habe’s body was discovered near the route the Manson Family would have taken from Spahn Ranch to Sunset Boulevard.

It is important to note that, at this time, the Family actively recruited young people like Hornburg and Habe. While it is now known as a murderous cult, the Manson Family was once a very social group, constantly attracting new people. Marina Habe herself was known to be sociable, as evidenced by the 350 people who attended her funeral.⁶

The Hornburg Family Connection

The possibility of Marina Habe and John Hornburg encountering someone from the Manson Family increases due to potential connections through Hornburg’s father, Charles Hornburg. He likely sold a car to music producer Terry Melcher and possibly serviced Dennis Wilson’s Rolls-Royce.

The Manson group was associated with both Melcher and Wilson, and Manson Family members were known to have driven both Melcher’s and Wilson’s cars.⁷

Charles Hornburg was a prominent figure in the Los Angeles car scene, owning a luxury car dealership at 9176 Sunset Boulevard. He became the first importer of Jaguars into the United States and served high-profile clients, including Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, and Jayne Mansfield.

Terry Melcher, the music producer who lived at 10050 Cielo Drive (the house where Sharon Tate was killed), owned a 1968 Jaguar XKE.⁸ As Hornburg was the primary Jaguar dealer west of the Mississippi, it’s highly likely Melcher purchased his Jaguar from Hornburg.⁹

Here is a 1968 advertisement for the 1968 Jaguar XKE that Terry Melcher owned; note the name and location of the dealership: Hornburg—9176 Sunset Blvd.

Charles ‘Tex’ Watson, one of the Manson Family members convicted of the Tate-LaBianca murders, even borrowed Terry Melcher’s brand-new Jaguar in 1968, along with Manson Family member Dean Moorehouse, several months before Marina Habe’s murder.¹⁰

Besides Jaguars, Hornburg also handled the sales and maintenance of Rolls-Royces. This raises the possibility of a connection with Dennis Wilson, who owned a Rolls-Royce and lived near Hornburg’s dealership.¹¹ Wilson lived at 14400 Sunset Blvd, while Hornburg’s car dealership was located at 9176 Sunset Blvd. Here is a 1966 job posting where Hornburg was looking for mechanics with experience in Jaguars and Rolls-Royces.

Tex Watson met Charles Manson after picking up Dennis Wilson, who was hitchhiking on Sunset Boulevard. Both of Wilson’s cars, including his Rolls-Royce, had been wrecked. Given the limited number of places specializing in Rolls-Royce service at the time, it’s plausible that Wilson brought his car to Hornburg’s for repairs.¹²

The Manson Family was known to use Wilson’s Rolls-Royce for various activities, including dumpster diving. Dianne Lake, a former member of the Manson Family, recounted, “That is how we wound up driving in Dennis’s burgundy Rolls-Royce to the back of a grocery store and showed him the art of dumpster diving.”

In Ed Sanders’ 1971 book The Family, one of the earliest works about the Manson Family, a former associate of the group claims that Marina Habe was known by its members, a rumor that Vincent Bugliosi repeats in his 1974 book Helter Skelter.¹³

So many chance encounters led to the murder of Sharon Tate. Could a random meeting with the Manson Family have cost Marina Habe her life?

Given how interconnected we all are, this wouldn’t be surprising. For example, Dennis Hearst, who delivered a bike to Sharon Tate’s residence on the night of the murders, was Marina Habe’s lab partner in biology class.¹⁴

Interlude: Connections to Sharon Tate

Marina Habe lived just an 8-minute drive from 10050 Cielo Drive, the house where Sharon Tate was killed. Marina had her funeral service—a Requiem Mass—at the same church as Sharon Tate (Good Shepherd Church), and she is buried in the same cemetery as Sharon Tate (Holy Cross Cemetery).¹⁵

The Gordon Connection

“In high school, one of my brother’s ex-girlfriends, Marina Habe, was allegedly killed by the Manson Family.” (Gordon, Girl in a Band, 2015)

Before dating John Hornburg, Marina Habe had dated Keller Gordon, the brother of Kim Gordon, the singer of Sonic Youth. According to Kim, her brother was acquainted with Bobby Beausoleil, who was part of the Manson group.

Gordon wrote in her book, that Keller had met Beausoleil at a house in Topanga Canyon: “Keller used to crash sometimes at a house at the foot of Topanga Canyon, where one night he met another Manson Family member, Bobby Beausoleil. Bobby would say repeatedly, ‘You should come over to the ranch sometime.’”

This encounter likely occurred in the first half of 1968, after the Manson Family had moved to the Spahn Ranch. Prior to that, the Family had lived at the Spiral Staircase house, located in the lower part of Topanga Canyon. The Spiral Staircase house was a crash pad for anyone needing a place to stay.¹⁶

After leaving the Spiral Staircase house, the Family moved to a location on Fernwood Street, Topanga Canyon, before eventually relocating to Spahn Ranch.¹⁷ However, Beausoleil likely met Keller at the Spiral Staircase house, which was a popular hangout for locals. In fact, the Family eventually moved out of the house because it became too crowded with visitors.

While the Family eventually moved to Spahn Ranch, Beausoleil frequently visited Topanga Canyon. In fact, Beausoleil committed the murder of Gary Hinman in Topanga Canyon.

Bobby Beausoleil, a promising young musician who had worked with Frank Zappa, was convicted of Hinman’s murder, which he committed alongside Susan Atkins and Mary Brunner. Charles Manson, who slashed Hinman’s face with a sword, and fellow Manson Family member Bruce Davis were also convicted for the crime. Beausoleil was sentenced to death, but the sentence was later commuted to life in prison. He is still serving his sentence today.

“It wouldn’t be long before the Manson murders exposed the darker side of the city, and they also touched the Gordon household. Marina Habe, an ex-girlfriend of Kim’s older brother, Keller, was found brutally slain in January 1969. It has long been speculated that she was an early victim of the Manson Family.” Excerpt from a L.A. Magazine article.¹⁸

Connections between Marina Habe and people in Manson’s orbit continue to surface—not just geographically, but through schools and social circles. One such link involves a fellow student who would later become infamous.

The Krenwinkel Connection

Marina Habe and Manson Family member Patricia Krenwinkel share a surprising connection: they both attended University High School in West Los Angeles. Krenwinkel graduated in June 1966, while Habe graduated two years later, in June 1968. Krenwinkel’s University High School diploma¹⁹ ironically states that she had been “found worthy in character and citizenship” — a statement that, considering her later actions, hasn’t aged well.

Patricia Krenwinkel was later convicted for the Tate-LaBianca murders, which she committed with Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, and Leslie Van Houten. Krenwinkel was sentenced to life in prison, a sentence she is still serving today, although she has been recommended for parole.

As we continue tracing potential links between Marina Habe and the Manson Family, another key figure emerges—one whose name is synonymous with the group’s most brutal crimes.

The Tex Watson Connection

Tex Watson was the Manson Family’s primary killer. He was responsible for the Tate-LaBianca murders and the murder of Donald Shea—eight victims in total, nine if you include Sharon Tate’s unborn baby. Could Watson, the Manson Family’s chief executioner, have personally encountered Marina Habe?

It has long been rumored that Watson had met Habe. Interestingly, there are parallels between them that warrant further examination. Both lived in the same neighborhood, and were in the same vicinity from the fall of 1967 until at least early summer 1968.

Additionally, Watson was in Los Angeles at the time of Marina Habe’s murder. During this period, Watson had left the Manson Family for several months and was on his own.

The Love Locs Wig Shop

While Tex Watson is primarily known for his role in the Manson Family murders, his activities before joining the group place him in close proximity to Marina Habe.

When Watson arrived in Los Angeles from Texas in 1967, he enrolled at Cal State and began his first classes in September. To support himself, he took a job as a wig salesman at Continental Wigs, where he sold wigs and canvassed the streets, distributing business cards to women to attract them to the shop.

Not long after, Watson opened his own wig shop, ‘Love Locs,’ located at the intersection of San Vicente Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills. The shop was just 1.4 miles from Marina Habe’s home.²⁰

Wonderland Drive

As his life in Los Angeles intensified, Watson’s world shifted from selling wigs to a more chaotic lifestyle. In early 1968, Tex Watson lived on Wonderland Drive (now Wonderland Avenue), roughly three miles from Marina Habe’s home.²¹ At the time, Watson had begun experimenting with drugs and engaging in heavy partying.

Tex Watson noted in his book that, during this period, he visited the Whisky a Go Go, which, as mentioned earlier, was just one minute from Marina Habe’s house. At that time, Habe was a student at University High School in West Los Angeles. Interestingly, Charles Manson was also known to frequent the Whisky in 1968.²²

Bobby Beausoleil, known as Cupid for his ability to attract many girls—including Leslie Van Houten, who later joined the Manson Family and participated in the LaBianca murders—also haunted the Sunset Strip around the same time. Beausoleil was once a member of the band Love, which performed at the Whisky a Go Go in 1966.

Tex Watson Lived Around the Corner

Before moving to Wonderland Drive, Tex Watson lived at 917 Larrabee Street for three months. This is where the story takes a compelling turn: 917 Larrabee Street was located just around the corner from Marina Habe’s West Hollywood home at 8962 Cynthia Street.

The two locations were separated by a mere four-minute walk or a one-minute drive—a distance of just 0.2 miles.

Both Ed Sanders and Bill Nelson mention Watson living on Larrabee Street in their books, with Sanders describing it as “a street famed for dope-dealing.” This is particularly noteworthy, as Watson was reportedly selling marijuana at the time.²³

Tex Watson confirmed in his book that he lived in an apartment in West Hollywood after dropping out of school but before moving to Wonderland Drive. This places him on Larrabee Street in late 1967 or early 1968—at the same time that Marina Habe was living in the neighborhood.

“Once I quit school, we moved to an apartment in West Hollywood, then to a house on Wonderland Drive, up in Laurel Canyon, behind the Strip.” (Watson, Will You Die For Me, 1978)

Did the 23-year-old Watson and the 17-year-old Habe ever cross paths during their daily routines? Did they frequent the same shops or restaurants? Did they have any mutual acquaintances? The possibility of them encountering each other, even casually, becomes much more likely given their close proximity.

The timeline continues with Watson meeting Charles Manson and moving into Dennis Wilson’s home on Sunset Boulevard. This placed Watson near Marina Habe and her date, John Hornburg, who—as noted earlier—lived close to the Manson Family on Sunset Boulevard.²⁴

Given how close they once lived, the idea that their paths may have crossed becomes even more plausible when you consider one final detail: they were both in Los Angeles during the Christmas holidays of 1968—the time of Marina Habe’s murder.

Same Place Same Time

On December 2, 1968, Tex Watson and his fraternity brother, David Neale, reported for military duty. Neale enlisted the same day, but Watson was declared unfit due to a knee injury and received a one-year deferment.²⁵

During this period, Watson had broken off contact with Manson and went on to live with Neale’s brother in Highland Park, Los Angeles. Neale testified that Watson was still living in Highland Park during his Christmas leave.²⁶

This places Tex Watson in the same general area as Marina Habe in December 1968, around the time she was murdered. Habe had returned home from the University of Hawaii for the Christmas holidays.

What Watson was doing in Los Angeles that December—and who he may have encountered—remains uncertain. But less than a year later, Watson would privately confess to a series of murders far beyond what was publicly known at the time.

The Tex Watson Tapes

Tex Watson’s attorney revealed that Watson confessed to previously undisclosed Manson Family murders in the Tex Watson Tapes—a series of recordings made on November 29, 1969, totaling about 20 hours of interviews. These tapes are the earliest documented account of the murders.

Law enforcement became aware of the tapes in 2012. They had been locked in the attorney’s safe for decades and were never made public. Following their discovery, police opened investigations into twelve unsolved homicides, with details not disclosed to the public.²⁷

Could these tapes hold the key to finally solving Marina Habe’s cold case? Even if her murder isn’t explicitly mentioned in the tapes, they could still provide insights into the Manson Family’s activities and potential motives during that time period. The fact that the justice department continues to fight their release only fuels speculation about what secrets they might hold.

Was Marina Habe a Manson Family Target?

The Manson Family was constantly on the lookout for potential members to join their group, often targeting individuals who could bring value to the Family. Sandra Good contributed her father’s money, Linda Kasabian brought $5,000, and Juanita Wildebush added $10,000 to the Family’s coffers.

Tex Watson contributed not only his truck but also his willingness to kill. Manson cultivated relationships with wealthy benefactors such as Dennis Wilson and Charlene Cafritz, and he regularly mingled with Hollywood celebrities.

Could Marina Habe have been a target? A 17-year-old driving a foreign red sports car, with an actress mother and a renowned writer as a father, living near the Sunset Strip—she fit the profile of the type of girl the Family was recruiting at the time.

Some have argued that Marina Habe was too refined and high-class to have associated with anyone from the Manson Family. Her stepbrother once reflected that anyone who truly knew Marina—someone he had grown up with on and off—would understand that, as a devout Catholic (she had converted in 1966), she would never have willingly involved herself with people like Charles Manson.

However, this assumption relies on a modern perception of the Manson Family, shaped by what they later became. In 1968, the group did not yet carry the infamy they do today. The idea that Marina couldn’t have known or crossed paths with any of them rests on a misconception about who the Family actually was at that time.

In 1968, Charles Manson recorded music with the Beach Boys—who even released a reworked version of one of his songs—and he jammed with artists like Neil Young and Mike Deasy, a guitarist who had played with Elvis Presley on his famed ’68 comeback special. At the time, these connections to the entertainment world made Manson and his followers seem more curious than threatening.

It could even be argued that Marina and her mother, who had their own ties to Hollywood celebrities—as detailed in the next section—moved in some of the same social circles.

Public assumptions can be misleading, especially when it comes to the Manson Family. For those not deeply familiar with the saga, it’s easy to imagine the group as a ragtag collection of drifters, criminals, and outcasts. However, many of Manson’s followers came from regular, even affluent, families. The popular image of the Family as a group of down-and-out misfits doesn’t fully align with reality.

Take Charles ‘Tex’ Watson, for example. Far from being a wayward drifter, Watson was the epitome of the all-American boy. He grew up in Copeville, Texas, in a devout Christian household. His family owned and operated a gas station and a small store, and by his own account, Watson had a happy, stable upbringing. He was active in his community, played football in high school, and even went on to attend college at North Texas State University. In many ways, his early life reflected traditional American values—faith, family, and opportunity.

Patricia Krenwinkel, another prominent member of the Family, didn’t fit the stereotype of a troubled outsider. Raised in a middle-class Los Angeles suburb by an insurance salesman father and a homemaker mother, she attended both Catholic and public schools, participated in school activities, and even considered becoming a nun. Krenwinkel was later convicted for her involvement in the Tate-LaBianca murders.

Leslie Van Houten also came from a comfortable, middle-class background. The daughter of a schoolteacher and an automotive specialist, Van Houten was described as bright, well-mannered, and artistic. In high school, she was a homecoming princess and participated in various extracurricular activities. Her upbringing was far from chaotic or disadvantaged. Van Houten was later convicted for her participation in the LaBianca murders.

And the list goes on. There are simply too many members of the Manson Family who came from regular, even privileged, backgrounds to list them all here.

The point is this: if Marina Habe had known or spent time around some of these individuals, it wouldn’t have made her a bad person, as some suggest. In fact, several members of the Manson Family came from Christian or Catholic backgrounds, just like Marina.

The Manson Family even spent time with actress Angela Lansbury’s daughter, Deirdre—another young woman with well-known parents, much like Marina. Deirdre was the one who introduced Nancy Pitman, the daughter of an aeronautical engineer, to the Manson Family. Pitman became one of Manson’s most devoted followers and was later convicted for her role in the murders of James and Lauren Willett.

We look back now with the full knowledge of what the Family would become. But in the early days of 1967 and 1968, they were not yet the violent, infamous cult we know today. They mingled with celebrities, lived communally, and were part of the vibrant, eclectic Los Angeles scene. At the time, the Family appeared to be just another offbeat group caught up in the counterculture of the era. For a detailed examination of this period and the events that followed, see Five Down on Cielo Drive.

In the next section, we explore Marina Habe’s family and examine her background and the aftermath of her murder.

Marina Habe came from a remarkable and complex family. Her mother, Eloise Hardt, was an actress with deep ties to Hollywood, including a close relationship with director John Huston. Her father, Hans Habe, was a war hero, journalist, and trained in psychological warfare. Despite their divorce, both parents remained deeply involved in Marina’s life.

Marina Habe’s Family→

1. –Same Tate Murder Knives Believed Used in Girl Case
   *Archived copy of the original page  ↩︎
2. –Marina Habe Missing
   –Hans habe’s Daughter Missing
   –Dog Finds Body of Marina Habe ↩︎
3. Watson, Trial testimony, p24
   Watson, Will You Die For Me, 1978, p27
   Fromme, Reflexion, 2018, p175
   Lake, Member of the Family, 2017, p250
   Atkins, Child of Satan, Child of God, 1977, p113
   Watkins, My Life With Charles Manson, 1979, p37
   Wilson, I Live With 17 Girls, 1968
   Bugliosi, Helter Skelter, p269
   Sanders, The Family, p52  ↩︎
4. –Marina Habe Missing ↩︎
5. Watson, Will You Die For Me, p28 ↩︎
6. –350 Attend Funeral For Marina Habe
   –Funeral Services Held For Marina Habe ↩︎
7. Watson, Will You Die For Me, p30
   Watson, Trial Testimony, p40
   Moorehouse, Trial Testimony, p6
   Melcher, Trial Testimony, p10
   Watkins, My Life With Charles Manson, p37
   Lake, Member of the Family, p225
   Sanders, The Family, p56
   Fromme, Reflexion, p160 ↩︎
8. Watson, Trial Testimony, p40
   Melcher, Trial Testimony, p10 ↩︎
9. –Hornburg Newsletter (PDF)  ↩︎
10. Watson, Will You Die For Me, p30
    Watson, Trial Testimony, p40
    Moorehouse, Trial Testimony, p6
    Melcher, Trial Testimony, p10 ↩︎
11. Watkins, My Life With Charles Manson, p36
    Lake, Member of the Family, p218
    Fromme, Reflexion, p158
    Watson, Will You Die For Me, p27 ↩︎
12. Watson, Trial testimony, p24
    Watson, Will You Die For Me, p27
    Fromme, Reflexion, p175
    Lake, Member of the Family, p250  ↩︎
13. Sanders, The Family, 1971, p127
    Bugliosi, Helter Skelter, 1974, p764 ↩︎
14. Dennis Hearst, Youtube ↩︎
15. –350 Attend Funeral for Marina Habe
    –Newspaper Clipping ↩︎
16. Lake, Member of the Family, 97
    Fromme, Reflexion, p121 ↩︎
17. Lake, Member of the Family, p167 ↩︎
18. –Lamag.com Article
    *Archived copy of the original page ↩︎
19. Krenwinkel, High School Diploma ↩︎
20. Watson, Will You Die For Me, p25 ↩︎
21. Watson, Will You Die For Me, p24
    Sanders, The Family, p55
    Nelson, Tex Watson: The Man, the Madness, p25 ↩︎
22. Guinn, The life and times of Charles Manson, Chapter 1
    –New York Times Article
    *Archived copy of the original page ↩︎
23. Watson, Will You Die For Me, p26
    Sanders, The Family, p55
    Nelson, Tex Watson: The Man, the Madness, p25 ↩︎
24. Watson, Will You Die For Me, p27
    Watson, Trial Testimony, p26
    Moorehouse, Trial Testimony, p2
    Fromme, Reflexion, p175
    Lake, Member of the Family, p250 ↩︎
25. Watson, Will You Die For Me, p48
    Watson, Trial Testimony, p23  ↩︎
26. Neale, Trial Testimony, p23
    Watson, Trial Testimony, p170
    Watson, Will You Die For Me, p48 ↩︎
27. –The Tex Watson Tapes, Murderinside.com
    –The Tale of the Manson Tapes, Medium.com
    *Archived copy of the original page
    –Judge Denies release of Tapes, Latimes.com
    *Archived copy of the original page
    –Three Murders Listed in Warrant, Cielodrive.com
    *Archived copy of the original page
    –LAPD Probing Manson to 12 Unsolved Homicides, Latimes  ↩︎

More than fifty years after Marina Habe’s murder, no one has ever been charged. Over the decades, investigators and researchers have examined several possible suspects. Some were close to Marina; others emerged through similarities to other crimes or later investigations.

The Last Person to See Marina Habe Alive

While no police report has been released in the Marina Habe case, certain patterns in abduction cases offer insight. Criminological research indicates that many abductions are carried out by individuals familiar with the victim. Additionally, standard investigative protocol places particular emphasis on the last person known to have seen the victim alive, as this individual is often a primary subject of interest.

In Marina’s case, this person was John Hornburg.

Hornburg spent approximately three hours alone with Marina before her disappearance—a significant stretch of unaccounted time. What occurred during this interval remains unknown. Hornburg’s only verified statements were that she changed clothes at his residence and left at 3:15 a.m.

A critical vulnerability in the investigation is the reliance on Hornburg’s testimony, as no independent witnesses or physical evidence exist in the public record to corroborate his claim that Marina left his residence.

This uncertainty also gives rise to the staged car theory. If Marina’s car was returned to her home to create the appearance that she arrived safely, it could have delayed the filing of a missing persons report.

In homicide investigations, detectives evaluate suspects based on motive, opportunity, and means. In Hornburg’s case, all three aligned.

• Motive: The brutality of the attack suggested overkill—driven by rage, jealousy, or betrayal—all plausible motives given that he and Marina were on a date and spent the evening together until the early hours.
• Opportunity: Hornburg acknowledged being the last person to see her alive, providing him with a clear opportunity.
• Means: The nature of the attack required physical force rather than specialized weaponry. Hornburg likely possessed the physical capability to overpower Marina.

On the day Marina’s body was found, Hornburg’s status in the investigation likely shifted from a person of interest to a suspect. This follows standard protocol: when the victim’s last known movements depend entirely on the unverified account of one person, that individual naturally becomes a central focus.

While Hornburg had been interviewed following the initial disappearance, the discovery of the body escalated the case to a homicide investigation.

Detectives would have sought to interview him again, at which point any questioning would have required Miranda warnings. This marked a transition in the investigation, as any subsequent statements—or a decision to remain silent—would have legal consequences. It is not known whether Hornburg spoke with police after Marina’s body was found.

Hornburg Moved to Arizona After the Murder

Following Marina Habe’s murder, John Hornburg relocated to Arizona. He did not return to Los Angeles until 1989, when he assumed management of his father’s car dealership on Sunset Boulevard. From an investigative standpoint, this relocation created significant jurisdictional hurdles.

While California detectives could request a voluntary interview, they lacked the authority to compel testimony or initiate an arrest across state lines without the high threshold of probable cause required for extradition.

While his move to Arizona could suggest he was avoiding legal action, it’s also plausible that he simply sought to escape the intense public scrutiny and unwanted attention after newspapers widely published his name and address as the last person seen with Marina.

Was Hornburg Marina Habe’s Boyfriend?

Although Marina Habe and John Hornburg were on a date the night she disappeared, her family stated that they were not romantically involved and had been childhood friends. The Habe and Hornburg families had known one another for more than a decade. Family members also stated that Marina was seeing someone else, though no name or identifying details were provided.

Investigators may have considered whether jealousy played a role—specifically, whether an unidentified boyfriend acted after learning that she had gone out and spent the night with Hornburg.

Without knowing this individual’s identity, his whereabouts, background, and potential involvement cannot be evaluated. Aside from family statements, no independent information about him appears in the record. The only details reported are that he may have been in the military and that his relationship with Marina was considered serious.

Conversely, the “childhood friend” dynamic does not rule out Hornburg as a suspect. If Hornburg sought a romantic relationship that she declined—potentially because of her commitment to the unidentified boyfriend—the rejection could have served as a catalyst for resentment or rage.

Tom O’Neill’s View of Hornburg

During my correspondence with Tom O’Neill, author of Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties, he confirmed that he had investigated Marina Habe’s case extensively and had examined several potential suspects, including John Hornburg and an outlaw biker nicknamed “Spanky” (discussed further below).

O’Neill told me that he personally leaned toward John Hornburg as the more likely suspect, based on interviews with Marina’s mother, stepbrother, and friends (including those present the night she disappeared), as well as several detectives assigned to the Habe case. He further explained that he tried hard to secure an interview with Hornburg, but Hornburg repeatedly refused to speak with him.

The Co-Ed Killer: A Serial Offender

After considering Hornburg and others connected to Marina, detectives also explored cases with similar patterns. In doing so, they came across a suspected serial killer believed to have killed seven women from 1967 to 1969.

Homicide detectives investigated John Norman Collins, known as the Co-Ed Killer, as a suspect in Marina Habe’s murder. Notably, Marina herself was a college co-ed at the time of her death—a term once commonly used to refer to female college students. They explored whether Marina and 17-year-old Roxie Ann Phillips, found dead in California on July 13, 1969, were victims of the same killer.

All of Collins’ suspected victims were young women who were abducted, raped, beaten, and either strangled or stabbed to death. This pattern strongly aligns with the circumstances surrounding Marina’s murder.

Although suspected of seven murders, Collins was convicted of only one: the murder of Karen Sue Beineman. Despite sufficient evidence to indict him for the murder of Roxie Ann Phillips, Collins avoided extradition to California and was never tried.

At the time of Marina’s murder, Collins was 21 years old, matching the age of the man Marina’s mother reported seeing in the driveway. However, detectives were unable to definitively link him to the Habe case.

A Violent Outlaw Biker: Spanky

In a 1988 L.A. Magazine article, Marina Habe’s stepbrother revealed that one of the homicide detectives working the case suspected a drug-dealing outlaw biker known as ‘Spanky’ might have been responsible for the crime. The article noted that Spanky was already deceased by the time of its publication.

One potential candidate for Spanky is Kirk ‘Spanky’ Smyth, who was mentioned in a newspaper article as the best man at a 1984 prison wedding of an Aryan Brotherhood member and was once caught smuggling a Buck knife into the prison in his rectum. However, no definitive evidence links Smyth to Marina’s case.

Rumors linking Smyth to the suspect “Spanky” seem to have originated from a single 2008 newspaper mention—unrelated to Marina Habe’s case—and a 2015 blog comment that was widely repeated. Over time, this repetition led the claim to be treated as fact and cited as such in podcasts and blog comments.

However, anyone claiming to know for certain that Smyth was the suspect is presenting unverified claims as facts, as this has never been officially confirmed.

Establishing Spanky’s true identity is challenging (he has now been identified — see the section below) because no official homicide investigation report on the Habe case has been released, leaving much of the information to speculation.

A request for the report was submitted to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), but, like most requests for cold cases, it was denied.

New Information Regarding Spanky

In late 2025, I was contacted by a man who said that his father—surnamed Rothbard—was the individual known as “Spanky” in the Marina Habe case. He explained that author Tom O’Neill had previously spoken with his family about Spanky. I reached out to O’Neill, who confirmed that Rothbard was the “Spanky” referenced by homicide investigators and that he may have had some peripheral connection to the Manson Family.

O’Neill also confirmed that his reporting had led him to the Rothbards and that he had spoken with Rothbard’s friends, wives, and girlfriends; however, he emphasized that he never found solid evidence linking Rothbard to Marina’s murder.

He noted that Rothbard may appear in a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department interview with Manson Family member Bill Vance, who claimed that a biker named Spanky was responsible for Marina’s murder. Beyond those references, O’Neill did not find any corroboration.

Based on what O’Neill told me, I strongly suspect that Vance was the same individual referenced by Ed Sanders in The Family, in which Sanders wrote that Marina Habe was known to members of the Manson Family but did not specify which member provided the information.

Importantly, O’Neill reiterated that while Rothbard, aka Spanky, may have been involved, he did not see sufficient evidence to draw that conclusion and ultimately leaned toward John Hornburg as the more likely suspect. Maury Terry, author of The Ultimate Evil, reached a similar assessment, noting that the evidence against Spanky was weak.

Driving Down Sunset Boulevard

Could Marina have been abducted by a violent outlaw biker? What are the chances of her meeting a serial offender or outlaw biker early Monday morning, around 3:15 a.m.? Let’s examine her route.

The fastest route between John Hornburg’s home at 13326 Sunset Boulevard and Marina’s home at 8962 Cynthia Street is about 8 miles, or a 20-minute drive. This is likely the route Marina took, as she reportedly left Hornburg’s home around 3:15 a.m. and apparently arrived at her mother’s home around 3:30 a.m.

If Marina did, in fact, drive herself home, her route would have begun by heading east on Sunset Boulevard. After covering most of the distance—approximately 7.5 miles—on Sunset, she would have passed through the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, which was just a few blocks from her home.

She would have turned right onto Phyllis Street, followed by another right onto Doheny Drive. A final left turn would have brought her to Cynthia Street and her destination.

Even on a Sunday night and early Monday morning, the Strip—famous for its vibrant nightlife—would have been buzzing with activity.

The counterculture movement of the 1960s was in full swing, and with it came shifts in drug use. Communal LSD use gave way to methamphetamine, coinciding with a rise in violent crime and an increased presence of dealers around clubs, bars, and music venues, particularly on the Sunset Strip.

A Group Known to Visit Sunset Boulevard

In late 1969, investigators began focusing on a group that frequently gathered along Sunset Boulevard and the Sunset Strip—the same area where Marina Habe spent the final hours before her disappearance. This group became known as the Manson Family.

The investigation took a new direction on December 12, 1969, when a newspaper reported that homicide detectives believed the same knives used in the Tate murders may have been used in the murder of Marina Habe.

The Manson Family→

On January 1, 1969, the body of 17-year-old Marina Elizabeth Habe was found in a secluded ravine off Mulholland Drive. She had been the victim of a brutal attack, suffering stab wounds, a slashed throat, blunt force trauma, and signs of strangulation.

More than half a century later, her murder remains unsolved.

Was Marina Habe a random victim, or was she deliberately targeted? The investigation led detectives into a web of suspects, including her date on the night she disappeared, a suspected serial killer known as the Co-Ed Killer, an outlaw biker nicknamed Spanky, and members of The Family, a communal group active in California at the time.

To understand how the investigation developed, it is necessary to examine the period in which it unfolded and the circumstances surrounding Marina Habe’s disappearance in late 1968.

Cultural Backdrop: December 1968

In December 1968—the month Marina Habe was reported missing—Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through the Grapevine topped the charts, while Laugh-In and Bonanza led television ratings. NBC aired the ’68 Elvis Comeback Special—filmed earlier that year in Burbank. The Beatles’ White Album, released weeks earlier, dominated record sales.

Amid ongoing Vietnam War coverage, the month closed with the Apollo 8 mission, which orbited the Moon on Christmas Eve and captured the now-iconic “Earthrise” image. By this time, the Summer of Love had largely faded, yet the counterculture remained a prominent presence.

December 1968 was marked by unusually cold and wet weather in Los Angeles, with heavy rainfall and temperatures occasionally dropping into the 30s. Contemporary reports describe damp, overcast conditions in the early morning hours of December 30.

It was under these conditions that Marina Habe was last seen.

Disappearance and Murder

The following is a timeline of Marina’s final known hours—the night she vanished in December 1968. It was a night that began ordinarily but ended in mystery. For background on Marina, see Key Figures in the case.

On December 29, 1968, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Marina left her mother’s home on Cynthia Street in West Hollywood. The house was located in the Norma Triangle, an upscale residential enclave near the Sunset Strip—an area renowned for its celebrity residents and vibrant nightlife.

She was on her way to meet her date for the evening, John Hornburg (see Key Figures), who lived with his mother in a ranch-style home on Sunset Boulevard in a coveted part of Brentwood, Los Angeles.

Later that evening, Marina and John went out to the Troubadour, a legendary nightclub on Santa Monica Boulevard known for launching many iconic musicians and attracting a hip, celebrity-filled crowd. Around 8:30 p.m., they met up with two other couples: Laurie Kramer and Norm Elder, and Wendy Kleiner and Denis Boses.

After leaving the Troubadour around 11:30 p.m., Marina and John drove to his home on Sunset Boulevard, about 20 minutes away. Although her own home was just five minutes from the nightclub, her car was parked at John’s place, so she went there first to retrieve it.

According to Hornburg, Marina changed out of her date outfit into regular clothes at his residence and left several hours later—around 3:15 a.m. on December 30—heading home.

Marina’s mother, who lived in a small bungalow, was awakened around 3:30 a.m. by the sound of her daughter’s car pulling into the driveway, immediately followed by another car with a loud muffler.

Disturbed by the noise, she rushed to the window and saw Marina’s car in the driveway, with a black sedan—possibly an older model—parked beside it. But she did not see her daughter in the car or anywhere outside.

She saw a man, about 20 years old, next to her daughter’s car. He then jumped into the black sedan—reportedly on the passenger side—shouting something, possibly directed at the driver, before the car sped away.

Still, no sign of Marina.

Her mother went outside and found Marina’s car keys inside the vehicle, but Marina was nowhere to be found. At approximately 3:45 a.m., she filed a missing person report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputies inspecting the car found Marina’s smaller purse and her date outfit inside the vehicle, while her primary purse and the glasses she needed for driving were missing.

With no indication of what had happened to Marina, her family could only wait. The circumstances suggested a possible kidnapping, but no ransom demand or other communication was ever received.

Then, on New Year’s Day 1969, Marina’s primary purse was found near Mulholland Drive by a woman named Mrs. Klute, who turned it in to the Venice Division of the Los Angeles Police Department. Later that day, at around 3:50 p.m., a man walking his Great Dane discovered her body.

Frank Turner, the dog’s owner, told detectives that the dog ran to the edge of a rural road and stared into the brush. When Turner looked, he saw Marina’s face. The ravine was so overgrown that a helicopter circling the area for days had not spotted her.

Marina Habe’s body was found beneath dense brush near the 8800 block of Mulholland Drive, roughly 100 yards west of Bowmont Drive, on January 1, 1969—approximately two and a half days after she vanished.

She was lying on her back, fully clothed, with one shoe off but nearby. Her body was located about 20 feet down the hillside from an auxiliary road known as Lovers Lane.

At her feet rested an abandoned motorcycle frame, which the Sheriff’s Scientific Investigation Division (S.I.D.) deemed significant enough to impound as evidence.

Her body was transported to the coroner’s office, where an autopsy was conducted. The autopsy report indicated a time of death 8 to 12 hours prior to discovery. This suggests a critical window in which Marina may have been held alive—roughly 48 hours.

After the autopsy, Sheriff’s Lt. Norman Hamilton said there were indications that more than one person may have been involved. While the murder could have been committed by a single individual, Hamilton noted signs suggesting multiple participants.

Meanwhile, Marina’s mother was placed under medical care, as she struggled to cope with the loss of her daughter.

At this point, the case was transferred from the Missing Persons Unit to the Homicide Division, where six homicide detectives were assigned full-time, with as many as 20 officers working on the case at any given time.

Marina’s murder was assigned Case Number 69-45, a stark reminder that in just the first half of New Year’s Day, the Sheriff’s Department (LASD) had already opened 44 other investigations, not counting those handled by the Police Department (LAPD), which had a separate jurisdiction.

Marina’s Mother Never Saw Her Daughter

A crucial detail in the investigation is that Marina’s mother never saw her daughter during the incident—not in her own car, not in the black sedan, and not anywhere in the driveway. She also reported hearing a male voice, but did not hear her daughter’s voice or any screams for help.

Because there was no eyewitness confirmation, investigators could not establish with certainty that Marina was abducted from the driveway. As a result, homicide detectives never stated this explicitly, instead using phrasing such as “apparently abducted from the driveway.”

Sheriff’s Lieutenant Hamilton stated: “The murder could have been committed by one person. Miss Hardt believes there might have been two men in the car that apparently carried off the girl from her driveway, although the mother saw only one man in the vehicle.”

Several contemporary newspaper reports echoed this uncertainty. As one newspaper reported: “Investigators said Miss Habe was believed to have driven into the driveway of her mother’s West Hollywood home at 8962 Cynthia Ave. about 3:30 a.m. Monday. This apparently was when she was accosted by her abductors.”

The Staged Car Theory

Several unusual aspects of Marina’s vehicle and driveway on the night of her disappearance have led investigators to consider the possibility that her car was staged. With no eyewitness confirmation, homicide detectives could not definitively state that Marina was abducted from the driveway, leaving room for multiple interpretations.

One scenario is that Marina was taken elsewhere and her car was later returned to the driveway to create the appearance that she had arrived home safely. Such a tactic could have delayed suspicion or the filing of a missing persons report, giving the perpetrators more time to evade detection.

Several details support this possibility: Marina’s mother neither saw nor heard her daughter; the handbrake was set with unusual force; the car keys were left inside the vehicle; and the sequence of events in the driveway unfolded in a matter of seconds.

The handbrake anomaly is particularly noteworthy. Marina drove a red 1968 MG Midget, which required significant strength to fully engage its mechanical, cable-driven handbrake.

Homicide detectives doubted Marina had the strength to fully engage the brake and speculated that one of her abductors may have set it before fleeing. As reported in the Los Angeles Times on January 2, 1969:

“Miss Habe’s car was parked in the driveway. Officers said the emergency brake was pulled completely up — a position which could not be reached on her car except by exerting great strength. Investigators say that they doubted that the girl was strong enough to pull the brake to that position and speculated that one of her abductors had set the brake lever.”

While the staged car theory explains several anomalies, other scenarios—including opportunistic attack or personal motive—cannot be ruled out.

Gone Off on a Lark?

Despite these observations, it remained unclear to early investigators whether any foul play had occurred on the night Marina vanished. As Detective Fitzgerald remarked, “Something might have happened—some foul play.” Among the scenarios considered was the possibility that she had simply gone off on a lark, though the speed and circumstances of her disappearance suggested otherwise.

Even after Marina’s body was found, homicide detectives remained unsure whether she had been taken against her will on the night she disappeared. As deputies stated at the time: “The possibility of kidnapping was under investigation by homicide officers.”

A Rapid Sequence of Events

Some have questioned why Marina’s mother didn’t intervene when she saw a man standing in the driveway next to her daughter’s car. This line of speculation assumes that the events unfolded over several minutes. In reality, according to reports, what happened in the driveway took place in a matter of moments or seconds—too quickly for her mother to react.

According to the autopsy continuation sheet, Marina’s mother heard her daughter’s car pull into the driveway and, seconds later, heard another vehicle with a loud pipes. Newspaper reports state that she hurried to her bedroom window, saw a man standing beside Marina’s car, and watched as he jumped into a black sedan that sped off.

The detail about the bedroom window is significant. Several newspaper reports stated that Marina’s mother looked out from her bedroom window, implying that her bedroom faced the driveway. This supports the conclusion that she witnessed the man within seconds—likely after getting out of bed and stepping directly to the window.

Motive and Possible Scenarios

In terms of motive, robbery appears unlikely. Marina’s purse, containing money and credit cards, was found on Mulholland Drive. A second small purse containing money was also found in her car. If the crime had been about money, the killer or killers could have taken the car.

Jealousy

Marina’s family stated that she had a boyfriend at the time she went on a date with Hornburg. Marina spent much of that day with Hornburg, from late afternoon into the night. This raised questions about whether jealousy may have played a role, a possibility explored further in the suspects section.

Ransom

Another scenario considered was kidnapping for ransom. Forensic evidence strongly suggests Marina was given food during her captivity. This suggests she may have been held alive for a period of time, possibly while the perpetrators decided her fate or prepared a ransom demand that was never delivered. Given the financial circumstances of both her parents, a ransom motive cannot be excluded. This possibility is explored further in the autopsy section.

Overkill

The extreme violence against Marina—including multiple stab wounds, blunt force trauma, and strangulation—combined with the absence of clear evidence of sexual assault, suggests a motive rooted in anger or rage rather than desire or opportunism.

In criminology, “overkill” describes violence far exceeding what is necessary to cause death and is often associated with a personal connection between victim and perpetrator, as explored in our overkill analysis.

Opportunity

A final possibility is that Marina was the victim of a random attack. Contemporary reports noted concerns about violent incidents in the area around the Sunset Strip, which was just a few blocks from Marina’s home.

For example, on the morning of January 1 — just hours before Marina’s body was discovered — authorities issued an alert for a car seen near her home after the driver reportedly attempted to molest a woman.

The presence of an unidentified man and vehicle outside Marina’s home on the night of her disappearance leaves open the possibility that she was targeted by a stranger or followed on her way home.

More 1969 Mulholland Drive Murders

In addition to Marina Habe’s murder, several other young women were killed in 1969 and found off Mulholland Drive in the same vicinity where her body was discovered. One of these victims was Reet Jurvetson, whose killing—like Marina’s—has long been rumored to have ties to the Manson Family. Another victim was Rose Tashman.

What has gone largely overlooked for decades, and uncovered through our research, is that Rose Tashman not only lived near Marina Habe but also attended the same high school. Both were college students and both were abducted on an early Monday morning. There are more similarities as well.

Like Marina, Rose was beaten and strangled—killed just four months after Marina’s murder, with her body discovered in May 1969, approximately half a mile from Marina’s. This grim similarity led police to investigate whether the two cases were connected, though the question was never resolved.

Detectives Had Clues to the Killers’ Identities

Shortly after Marina Habe’s body was found, investigators indicated early progress: a January 1, 1969, newspaper article reported that detectives had clues to the identity of her killers.

The timing—only hours after discovery and before an autopsy—suggests those leads came from initial interviews rather than forensic evidence.

The clues may have pointed to individuals already on investigators’ radar, including John Hornburg and possibly his half-brother, who was reportedly at the house that night.

If so, detectives may have had viable suspects within hours of Marina Habe’s disappearance.

Continue to Suspects→

Marina Habe and Her Mother Eloise Hardt

Marina Habe was the daughter of American actress Eloise Hardt and Hungarian-born journalist and writer Hans Habe. Born in Germany, Marina’s parents separated when she was four years old. Following the separation, she moved with her mother to California, while her father eventually settled in Switzerland. Despite the distance, Marina frequently traveled to Switzerland to visit her father. Both parents were financially well-off, giving Marina a stable and comfortable upbringing.

Through her mother’s work in the entertainment industry, Marina became connected to several Hollywood figures, including legendary actor-director John Huston, known for directing stars such as Marilyn Monroe and for acting in films like Roman Polanski’s Chinatown.

The Habe and Huston families were closely intertwined. In her younger years, Marina’s mother lived at Huston’s ranch, mingling with some of the most iconic names of Hollywood’s Golden Age. John Huston was fond of Marina, and his daughter, actress Anjelica Huston, formed a close bond with Marina’s mother. In her memoir, Anjelica later described Marina as one of the most beautiful girls she had ever seen.

As a teenager, Marina developed a deep interest in faith and converted to Roman Catholicism in April 1966. Two years later, she graduated from University High School in West Los Angeles and began her freshman year at the University of Hawaii, where she studied art.

In December 1968, Marina returned home for the Christmas holidays to spend time with her mother and visit friends. On an evening between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, she met up with a longtime friend—someone with whom she shared a web of connections. But the night would end in tragedy.

John Hornburg – Marina Habe’s Final Date

Marina Habe’s date on the night she disappeared—and the last known person to see her alive—was 23-year-old John Hornburg, the son of Charles and Grace Hornburg. His father owned Hornburg Motor Cars, a prominent Los Angeles dealership on Sunset Boulevard that specialized in luxury vehicles like Jaguars and Rolls-Royces. The Hornburgs were a well-known family who mingled with celebrities and movie stars.

The Hornburg and Habe families had been friends for years. In the early 1960s, Marina and her mother lived across the street from the Hornburgs in West Hollywood. After divorcing Charles Hornburg, John’s mother, Grace, married screenwriter Anthony Veiller—an Academy Award nominee who, like Marina’s mother, had worked with director John Huston and shared a close bond with him.

The Hornburg-Veiller household included John Hornburg and his half-brother, Bayard Veiller, both sons of Grace. As a young child, Bayard had a small role in Red Planet Mars, a film written by his father. It was in the West Hollywood home that Marina’s mother hosted a party to help reconcile Anthony Veiller and John Huston, who had had a falling out years earlier.

In 1965, Anthony Veiller died of cancer. To honor his final wish, John, Bayard, their mother Grace, and John Huston traveled to England to inter his ashes. The drive to the cemetery was made in a Rolls-Royce—a fitting tribute given the Hornburg family’s ties to luxury automobiles—with Huston cradling the urn in his lap the entire way.

After Veiller’s death, the Hornburgs moved to a new residence on Sunset Boulevard—one that would later become the last place Marina Habe was seen alive, before her body was found off Mulholland Drive.

By December 1968, when Marina Habe was on the cusp of adulthood, John Hornburg had already crossed that threshold. He was a father—his first daughter, Kate, had been born in 1967 while he was still in college.

Shared Connections

Though they moved in similar circles, it was their shared early-life experiences that drew Marina Habe and John Hornburg together.

Both spent part of their childhoods in Europe and faced their parents’ divorces at a young age. Both had parents involved in the entertainment industry. John was raised by his mother and stepfather but remained close to his father—much like Marina did with hers.

Nearly six years older than Marina, John graduated from university in 1968, the same year Marina began college. It was during this period that they went on a date—one from which Marina never returned.

Disappearance and Murder→