Another will signed by Charles Manson is set to spark a legal war over the cult leader’s estate, DailyMail.com has exclusively learned.
The will, which has been described to DailyMail.com, was signed by Manson on January 11 this year and leaves his entire estate to his ‘son’ Matthew Roberts – giving him the right to arrange his father’s burial.
The killer – who was serving a life sentence for the murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others – entrusted his friend and long time confidante Ben Gurecki with his will, naming him executor.
Manson, who was hospitalized with ill health in January, instructed Gurecki to send the document to Roberts.
The new typed will – expected to be filed in probate court on Wednesday – could replace the 15-year-old will filed on Tuesday by Manson memorabilia fanatic Michael Channels because of its more recent date.
But lawyers for both sides will battle it out over whose will has the most legitimate claim to Manson’s estate, which includes his art and rights to make money from the killer’s likeness.
Another will held by Charles Manson’s ‘son’ Matthew Roberts (pictured) is set to challenge a document held by the killer’s long-time pen pal Michael Channels. The new will was signed by Manson on January 11 and is expected to be filed in a probate court on Wednesday
The new typed will is likely replace the 15-year-old will filed on Tuesday by Manson memorabilia fanatic Channels (left) because of its more recent date
Channels, a well known Manson collector and historian, was a long-time pen pal of the cult leader and had been communicating with him for 20 years.
He claims that in 2002 Manson drafted the will and handed it to him, TMZ first reported.
DailyMail.com approached Channels, 51, to ask him whether his will would win the day.
Instead, his business partner and fellow Manson collector Stoner Van Houten spoke on his behalf.
Van Houten, who runs the infamous Spahn Ranch, said: ‘When the bout happens we’ll see who’s gonna leave the ring. I understand a couple of people will enter but only one man’s gonna leave, man, and that one person’s gonna be Michael Channels, my friend.’
DailyMail.com has also learned that Manson’s long lost grandson, MMA fighter and oil rig worker Jason Freeman has stepped into the fight.
Freeman, 41, is in Bakersfield, California – near to the California State Prison, Corcoran where Manson, 83, died over a week ago – to apparently try to claim his grandfather’s remains for himself.
Florida-based Freeman flew in to LA on Monday before driving up to Bakersfield Tuesday and was seen in the area filming with a documentary film crew.
But in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com Roberts and Gurecki say the will they have will blow all other claims out of the water.
Also stepping into the fight is Manson’s long lost grandson, MMA fighter and oil rig worker Jason Freeman (left) who is apparently trying to claim Manson’s remains
Manson, who died on Sunday, November 19, at the age of 83, stated in Channels’ will (pictured) that he disinherited his two known children, grandchildren, friends and other family members
Channels said he and Manson last spoke on the phone back on October 21. Pictured: The will given to Channels
Roberts, 49, a musician who lives in Los Angeles, said: ‘I believe this document will supersede any others, I believe that I am Charles Manson’s son and I am his rightful heir.
‘Yes there’s other people who have come forward, my whole feeling on it is I really don’t care who comes forward and pulls it off I just want him to get the right burial, a respectful burial stone in a respectful place and not just a number on a wall.’
Gurecki, who has been helping Roberts, said: ‘I believe this (will) will ultimately supersede the other wills that are put there because of the date of the will, it came to me in February…so it would have to supersede the others.
He added: ‘I’d rather see more people coming to do the right thing at the end of his life, that nobody did for the last 70 years, I’d rather see everybody here together trying to do the right thing.’
Speaking outside Corcoran prison alongside Gurecki, Roberts said he felt ‘vindicated’ that Manson has chosen to name him on his will.
‘I was surprised actually because I’ve heard over the years that there was some wills that were made, quite a few of them.
‘I felt great, I felt good, I felt vindicated sort of, I’ve been struggling to have some sort of relationship with him, often through third parties or through the mail, not anything that really felt like interpersonal or close, and that (the will) really felt like something.’
Roberts now hopes he can give Manson a good send off.
Manson entrusted his friend and long time confidante Ben Gurecki (right) with his new will, naming him executor. Roberts (left), 49, said: ‘I believe this document will supersede any others, I believe that I am Charles Manson’s son and I am his rightful heir’
Channels rushed to file the will in his possession on Tuesday so he could get custody of the killer’s body as soon as possible. The pair pictured together
‘I just hope he gets a proper burial with a gravestone and not just some unmarked grave with a number somewhere,’ he said.
‘For better or for worse he’s affected the lives of a lot of people, he’s caused pause for thought at the minimum and a lot of people actually seem to have quite an affinity for him, so they should be allowed to reflect or whatever else they do.
‘As far as his belongings go I don’t really expect much, I never really have, if it’s something that’s worth something, I certainly think I should be in the running because I do believe that I am his son.
‘If nothing else I do respect the man and have a certain appreciation for him that I think is unique, that’s just common decency in life.’
Gurecki, who has flown in from Chicago specially to handle Manson’s affairs and help Roberts, told of the moment he received the will in the mail.
‘I have been getting letters and pieces of artwork from Charlie for years and I opened up an envelope in late February and it had two or three pieces of art, a couple of personal letters and a will from the old man. I did what it said, as soon as I got the information I forwarded it on to Matthew, I didn’t know what else to do.’
Gurecki says the will is nothing ‘fancy’ and something ‘rudimentary’ Manson put together in prison.
Lawyers for Roberts (pictured) and Channels will battle it out over whose will has the most legitimate claim to Manson’s estate, which includes his art and rights to make money from the killer’s likeness
Channels (left) and Freeman (right) are expected to challenge the new will filed by Roberts. Freeman flew into LA on Monday before driving up to Bakersfield on Tuesday and was seen in the area filming with a documentary film crew
‘I can attest to the fact that I saw Charlie’s signature on it and what appeared to be, I don’t know, whether it was a guard or an inmate, or somebody else signed it…it is pretty crude, we’ll let the attorneys deal with it.
‘It has my name in it, naming me as executor of the will. It named Matthew as his son and named him as the person responsible for dealing with Charlie in the after and dealing with Charlie’s estate.’
Gurecki says he hopes that he and Roberts can bury Manson at his family’s grave site in Catlettsburg Cemetery, Kentucky.
‘I’d like Charlie to have the opportunity to have a headstone, like my family, like everybody’s family,’ he said.
‘He should be given a proper burial, his entire family is in Kentucky, he could be laid to rest in the cemetery there.’
Roberts and Gurecki have instructed an attorney in Bakersfield and hope to file the will in probate court Wednesday.
The 10-day deadline for Manson’s body to be claimed ends Thursday, but that will likely be canceled given that a will has now been filed.
Manson was jailed after he was found guilty of orchestrating the murders of nine people, including actress Sharon Tate (pictured), in the 1960s by his devoted followers in a bid to start a race war
Roberts, who was adopted and grew up in Rockford, Illinois, was told that Manson was his real dad, after he tracked down his biological mother in 2001. She told Roberts she was raped by Manson during a drug-fueled orgy nine months before he was born in 1968 – but she later claimed it was not rape but ‘vigorous sex’
Roberts, who was adopted and grew up in Rockford, Illinois, was told that Manson was his real dad, after he tracked down his biological mother in 2001.
She told Roberts she was raped by Manson during a drug-fueled orgy nine months before he was born in 1968 – but she later claimed it was not rape but ‘vigorous sex’.
Although attempted, DNA tests have proved inconclusive, Gurecki has said Manson knew Roberts was his son – and even sent people to find him.
Manson orchestrated the murders of seven people in the 1960s by his devoted followers in a bid to start a race war.
On August 8, 1969, he sent Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles ‘Tex’ Watson – to the Beverly Hills address of movie actress Sharon Tate with the instruction to kill everyone inside.
Less than 24 hours later, the followers – plus Leslie Van Houten and Steve ‘Clem’ Grogan – savagely tortured, murdered and mutilated wealthy LA couple Rosemary and Leno LaBianca.