Here’s Why Roman Polanski Hasn’t Commented on Charles Manson’s Death

The man responsible for the murders of his wife and unborn son is dead, but famed director Roman Polanski has remained silent on Charles Manson‘s death.

Debra Tate, the sister of late actress Sharon Tate, reportedly contacted Polanski as soon as she got word that Manson had died on Sunday at the age of 83. Manson had been serving nine life terms in connection with the murders of Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, Abigail Folger, Steven Parent and Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, which were carried out by the Manson Family in August 1969.

“The murder of Polanski’s wife and unborn son still remains too painful for him to make a statement. He hopes someday to correct the legal proceedings in L.A. so that he can visit their graves at Holy Cross Cemetery,” Polanski’s attorney, Harland Braun, told TMZ.

The Oscar winning director fled the United States in 1978 after pleading guilty to raping a 13-year-old girl. The case is still ongoing and Polanski has remained a fugitive since, despite the victim’s request to have it dismissed.

Polanski married actress Sharon Tate on January 20, 1968 after they met on the set of The Fearless Vampire Killers in 1967. When Tate became pregnant, they moved into a larger home on Cielo Drive, the house where the now infamous murders took place on the night of August 9, 1969. Tate was 8 months pregnant at the time of her murder.

Debra Tate, who said that she had been praying for Manson’s soul, told TMZ that while it’s a relief to know that Manson has passed, he was never the biggest concern.

“For me personally, Charlie was the least of my worries. Yes, he did set all of this in motion, but it’s the hands of all the other members that are still very much alive and rallying to get out of prison that decided how ugly and how heinous these acts were going to be.”