Charles Manson’s body is at the center of controversy after his demise spurred claims by two men who say they have the right to inherit the mass-murderer’s belongings and bury his remains.

Santa Clarita resident Michael Channels, 52, met Manson in the Corcoran State Prison in the Central Valley in 2002 after sending him about 50 letters. A few months after their meeting, an envelope landed in the mail with a will that Channels says bequeathed the notorious serial killer’s possessions to his pen-pal.

But Manson’s grandson, Jason Freeman, 41, isn’t so sure. He hasn’t given up trying to claim the remains of Manson, 83, who died Nov. 19 of heart failure at a Bakersfield hospital. A hearing is set for Jan. 8 in the Los Angeles County Superior Court to hear his case, according to his attorney Alan Davis.

“We are aware that there is a document that is reported to be a will, but frankly we are very suspicious,” Davis said. “Manson was incarcerated and we are suspicious that someone could get to him and get it signed.”

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Manson had been serving a life sentence for orchestrating the 1969 killings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and eight other people in a Los Angeles killing spree that shocked the world.

He had spent nearly 50 years at the Corcoran prison in Kings County, and died at Bakersfield Mercy Hospital in Kern County. His heart failure was triggered by colon cancer that had spread to other areas of his body.

Manson’s remains were being kept at the Kern County sheriff-coroner’s office, where officials were trying to determine Manson’s next of kin, according to spokesman Sgt. Stephen Wells.

“Usually it takes a couple weeks to establish an eligible person,” he said. “This case received national attention, so it might take several weeks.”

Channels, who keeps a massive Manson memorabilia collection in his Newhall home, filed the 2002 will with Kern County, but the claim was denied due to improperly filed paperwork, according to the Kern County website. Despite the fact that Manson died in Kern County, his last address before his imprisonment was in Los Angeles.

What did Manson want?

In the will produced by Channels, Manson disowned his relatives.

“I have two known children son Michael Brunner and sons Charles Manson Jr. I have disinherited both known sons and any unknown children in the present and in the future from my estate,” according to the will. “I am leaving nothing to any such heirs as, relatives, children, ex-wives, in-laws, lawyers, friends, prisoners, inmates, cops, guards, or the state of California.”

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Manson, according to the will, left his entire estate to Channels, including his remaining cash funds from his prison account, image, music, printing, movie and publishing rights along with prison and police records.

But that hasn’t deterred the other side.

In November, a friend of Freeman set up a GoFundMe page on his behalf to raise money to cover legal and burial expenses before traveling to California, the New York Daily News reported. The fundraiser reached nearly $1,000 before the website shut down the page.

Freeman’s estranged father, Charles Manson Jr., changed his name to Jay White before committing suicide in 1993, according to Freeman’s attorney, Dale Kiken.

Davis said the case could go on for several years.

Even so, Freeman has a better chance to claim Manson’s estate, said Jack Barcal, who teaches at the USC Marshall School of Business and specializes on probate and trust law. Although Manson disinherited his children in his will, he didn’t specifically mention his grandchildren, according to Barcal.

“The grandson was not disinherited in the will,” he said. “The property should go to his grandson or whoever the grandchildren are.”

Another problem for Channels may be triggered by the fact that the will was not properly signed, Barcal said.

“In California, a will has to be signed and witnessed by two people,” he said. “It appears there is a signature of Roger Dale and another person whose name was redacted. Presumably that’s the guy who is the beneficiary. Because the beneficiary acts as a witness, the will is not valid…A judge will decide if the will is valid or not.”

From autograph to will

Channels began writing to Manson in the early 1990s, seeking an autograph to add to his collection, which included signatures from Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter and Michael Jackson. He sent about 50 letters to the Kern County prison before Manson finally wrote back. The two men connected over correspondence and phone calls. Then in 2002, they agreed to meet.

In the following years, Channels transferred Manson more than $6,000, he said, to cover medical and other expenses.

“Once he was almost in tears because someone stole his dentures, and he couldn’t eat things that he liked,” Channels said. “I bought him dentures and they cost $600.”

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In return, Manson gave Channels some personal belongings including photographs and a hand-made Halloween mask, among other items.

A few months after their 2002 meeting, Manson sent Channels his will.

“It turned into something I have never expected,” Channels said. “It’s a nightmare all the way around.”

As for Manson’s burial, Channels is still working on a plan.

“Cemeteries don’t want him,” he said. “They think if they take him, they will pollute the whole ground. I am going to cremate him and dump his ashes in the desert.”