Manson pen pal inherits entire estate and rights to killer’s image

CHARLES MANSON left his entire estate, including his remains, to a prison pen pal, it was reported yesterday.

The murderous cult leader, who died last week aged 83, struck up a friendship with a male correspondent who first wrote to him in the Nineties, a US news website said.

The man apparently sent 50 unanswered letters to Manson at the California State Prison until he eventually received a reply. Manson then talked to him by telephone and the pen pal started visiting him in jail in 2002. According to a yellowing will obtained by TMZ, and dated Feb 14, 2002, Manson left all his belongings, including his clothes and money, to the pen pal.

Manson also left to the man the potnetially lucrative rights to his name and image, and control of songs he had written. The pen pal, who was not named, also had the right to claim Manson’s body within 10 days of his death, and said he intended to do so.

If he does not claim it then the killer will be cremated by the California prison system. A section of the will said Charles Manson, Prisoner B33920, wished to have his body released to the custody of the pen pal who was “my one and only executor of any services, viewings, funeral arrangements, or otherwise, in his judgment OF MY WISHES only”.

Manson also said that he was “of a sound mind”. According to the will Manson chose to specifically disinherit his known and unknown children, former wives, all relatives, friends, and lawyers. The pen pal told TMZ he last spoke to Manson by phone on Oct 21. The will was typed but included some scrawled handwriting, which appeared to match Manson’s known style.

It included the message: “I’m not in the best spot to rest in peace”. The will was said to have been witnessed by one of Manson’s fellow inmates. Manson spent his last 45 years in jail after sending followers known as the “Manson Family” to commit gruesome murders.