The pastor who presided over Charles Manson‘s funeral on Saturday says he had no qualms sending the convicted murderer to the afterlife.
Pastor Mark Pitcher of Porterville Church of the Nazarene in California told TMZ that while he might normally have a conflict performing a funeral service for Manson, he made an exception because Manson’s grandson, Jason Freeman, is a Christian who was in need of a pastor.
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Pitcher said he was approached by the funeral director with what he called a “unique situation.” Pitcher agreed to meet Freeman and his wife, Audrey, the day before the service, where he told them he wouldn’t touch on certain aspects of Manson’s life, like the Manson Family murders.
At Freeman’s request, he read a few scriptures during the ceremony. Freeman also reportedly spoke.
Manson had an open casket funeral over the weekend immediately before being cremated upon the service’s ending. His ashes were reportedly taken to a nearby forest and spread along a creek bed.
TMZ reported that Manson’s body needed quite a bit of makeup to cover up all the decomposing that had taken place between his death and the funeral service, which was attended by about 30 people.
Aside from Freeman, among those present were former Manson Family member Sandra Good and Manson’s former fiancée, Afton Burton.
The funeral came nearly four months after Manson’s death from natural causes. A judge ordered his body to be kept on ice until the legal matter of who had claim to it was settled. Freeman, who claimed Manson didn’t have a will when he died, was locked in a heated legal fight with a man named Michael Channels, who claimed he was in possession of Manson’s legal will.
Channels, considered to be an expert on Manson and a collector of Manson-related artifacts, also happens to be a longtime pen pal of the cult leader.
Channels’ business partner confirmed that Channels is involved with the Manson estate, despite Freeman being awarded the legal manager of it.
After news of Manson’s death initially broke, the grandson of one of his victims spoke out. Tony LaMontagne is the grandson of Leno LaBianca who, along with his wife, was murdered by Manson’s family of followers that fateful night.
LaMontagne revealed that he found out about Manson’s death after an official representative of the prison notified him.
“My initial reaction was somewhat indifferent, as a matter of fact,” LaMontagne said. “You would think there would be some sort of … closure now but there really isn’t. We are glad that nature took its course and did what the state of California should have done.”
LaMontagne also suggested to reporters that he strongly opposes any of Manson’s followers being released for any reason.
“This is an ongoing thing,” LaMontagne stated. “He’s gone but they are still three people that went into our home that murdered my grandfather and his wife that are still in prison that the State of California is strongly considering paroling.”
