Charles Manson lies on his deathbed in a haunting final photo taken just minutes before he died.
The cult leader – who delighted in telling fans he was immortal – died in hospital from natural causes on November 19.
The grainy image, broadcast exclusively on DailyMailTV, shows the infamous serial killer in bed surrounded by tubes keeping his frail body alive.
Manson was treated in a secure room at the Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, California his body chained to the hospital bed.
This final chilling image showing his closed sunken eyelids and distinctive bald head is a world away from the wild-eyed, long-haired monster the world came to know in the 1960s.
The final minutes: Charles Manson drew the last breath of his monstrous life minutes after this picture was taken. He was only unchained from the bed when he was dead, almost 50 years after he ordered his brainwashed followers to kill
Unrepentant: Manson was last seen in good health in his August 2017 mugshot, the trademark swastika still etched in his brow. He was seen in 1971 after his arrest and while awaiting trial for seven murders – and was never freed.
Final prison: Manson was moved in his from Corcoran State Prison, in Corcoran, CA, shortly before his death to the Kern Medical Center, where he was kept in a secure room, chained to his bed until the end
Victim: 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. Tate had only been married to Roman Polanski the previous year
Manson was serving a life sentence for the murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others.
Although he never took part in the murders, he ordered his brainwashed followers to embark on the killing spree in Los Angeles over two August nights in 1969.
Manson managed to avoid the gas chamber at San Quentin State Prison in 1971 after California temporarily ruled capital punishment unconstitutional.
But at 83 and in ailing health, he was finally unable to avoid death.
Manson’s body is still being held in the mortuary at Corcoran State Prison as battle over his estate and lucrative art and image rights is resolved.
Two wills have been lodged in Kern County Probate Court as the authentic wishes of the serial killer, one naming the cult leader’s ‘son’, Matthew Roberts, as his heir and the other leaving everything to memorabilia fanatic Michael Channels.
Two rival wills have been filed for the estate of Charles Manson – one by longtime memorabilia collector Michael Channels (left), which was revealed by TMZ . But a second document filed by Charles Manson’s ‘son’ Matthew Roberts has also been filed. His lawyer says it includes a swastika in the signature and that is proof of authenticity
The two documents are no at the center of a battle between Michael Channels (left), a longtime Manson memorabilia collector, and Matthew Roberts (right), who claims to be Manson’s son and says that DNA tests will confirm that, which is why he wants the killer’s body to be handed to him
Manson’s supposed grandson, MMA fighter and oil rig worker Jason Freeman has also emerged as another claimant.
Roberts’ attorney Spencer Kuvin said his main priority is to make sure nothing happens to Manson’s body until the legal tussle has been resolved so the DNA testing will still be possible.
‘We’re trying to put an immediate stop to any destruction of the body and we’ve been in contact with the coroner’s office to do just that,’ he told DailyMailTV.
Kuvin added that he will now ‘dispute’ the claim made by Channels.
Roberts hopes to give Manson a respectful burial at his family’s grave site in Catlettsburg Cemetery, Kentucky.
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.