Three Finalists Vying for Charles Manson’s Body

Even in death, Charles Manson is causing major trouble for authorities.

The cult leader died on November 19, but his body remains on ice as parties fight for the right to claim Manson’s body and estate.

At least five people have come forward to claim his remains, but according to TMZ — which reviewed documents filed by the Kern County Coroner — three men will continue to battle for the rights before a judge.

The first of those interested parties is Michael Channels, a former pen pal of the murderer, with whom he had been corresponding by mail and phone for more than two decades. The fan presented what he claims to be Manson’s will, a “crudely written” document in which he left his entire estate to Channels. The document is also considered suspicious as Channels is listed as a witness.

Manson’s supposed long-lost son Matthew Lentz filed a second will, but his document includes only one witness, which makes it incomplete. Lentz claims to be Manson’s son, but previous DNA tests proved inconclusive.

Jason Freeman, a man claiming to be Charles Manson Jr.’s son, has also come forward without a will, but he filed papers to prove his status as the deceased inmate’s grandson and, therefore, next of kin. A lawyer representing Freeman has also asked to be named administrator of the Manson estate, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Freeman’s case is muddled, though, by Manson’s own admission before death that he had no living family.

Before the battle for his body continues, the judge in the case must first decide where Manson’s probate hearings will take place. He was incarcerated for more than 45 years at California State Prison and was sentenced to life in the facility, but he died in a hospital in Kern County.

“This is a really weird legal case,” Bryan Walters, a county attorney, previously told the LA Times. “It’s like a circus, and nothing is clear where we should hang our hat on.”

Manson was originally sentenced to death for carrying out or ordering nine murders, but it was amended to a life sentence after the death penalty was ruled unconstitutional in California.

While serving nine concurrent life sentences in prison, Manson earned more than 100 infractions for offenses including threatening prison staff, possession of a weapon, assault, failing to provide a urine sample for random drug testing and getting caught with contraband mobile phones.

At 83 years old, Manson died following a week-long hospital star of cardiac arrest caused by colon cancer.