LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating a dozen unsolved murders that could be related to the Manson family, officials said Thursday.

Detectives say the homicides happened near places where the Manson family operated during the same time frame four decades ago. The crimes also have elements that are similar to some of the group’s killings, officials said.

News of the investigation broke amid a legal battle to obtain audio tapes recorded between Charles Manson follower, Charles “Tex” Watson and his lawyer in 1969.

Detectives hope the tapes will reveal more information that could be linked to the unsolved murders.

Manson and his followers, including Watson, were convicted of killing eight people in an attempt to start a race war in the late 1960s.