Charles Manson had at least three sons by three different women, but only two of his grandchildren have ever been publicly identified. The best known of Charles Manson’s grandchildren is Jason Freeman, son of Charles Manson Jr., who won custody of Manson’s body in 2018 and has spent years in a Los Angeles probate fight over the estate. The other is an adult son of Michael Brunner, Manson’s youngest known child, whose name has never been made public. A third son, Charles Luther Manson, died in 2007, and the public record does not say whether he left any children behind.
How the Grandchildren Trace Back to Manson
Each of Manson’s three known sons was born to a different mother and lived under a different name, which is part of why so little is settled about the next generation.
Charles Manson Jr., born April 10, 1956, to Manson’s first wife Rosalie Jean Willis, changed his name to Jay White to escape the stigma of the family name. He died by suicide on June 29, 1993, on Interstate 70 in Burlington, Colorado.1CNN. Charles Manson’s Grandson His son is Jason Freeman.
Charles Luther Manson, born September 24, 1960, to Manson’s second wife Leona Rae Musser, changed his name to Jay Charles Warner in 1976 and died in Colorado in 2007. Almost nothing is publicly known about his adult life.2People. Where Are Charles Manson’s Children Now
Valentine Michael Manson, born April 15, 1968, to Manson Family member Mary Theresa Brunner, was raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin by his maternal grandparents and formally adopted by them in 1976, taking the name Michael Brunner. He has one son.3Los Angeles Times. Michael Brunner Profile
Jason Freeman
Jason Freeman grew up in Ohio, largely shielded from his family history. He never met his father in person and never met Charles Manson, though he and Manson spoke by phone periodically during his adulthood.2People. Where Are Charles Manson’s Children Now Freeman has said he believes his father stayed away to protect him from the “family curse” of the Manson name.1CNN. Charles Manson’s Grandson
Freeman settled in Bradenton, Florida, where he raised a family, became involved with a local church, and fought professionally in mixed martial arts. He compiled a 6-4 record, with his last documented fight coming at a Strikeforce event in 2011.4My MMA News. MMA Fighter Who Claims to Be Charles Manson’s Grandson Faces New Hurdle in Estate Case
Winning Custody of Manson’s Body
Charles Manson died on November 19, 2017, at age 83 in a Bakersfield hospital. His body sat unclaimed in the Kern County morgue for months while three parties competed for it: Freeman, as grandson; Michael Channels, a Santa Clarita memorabilia collector and Manson pen pal who produced a 2002 will naming himself executor; and Michael Brunner, as Manson’s surviving son.5NPR. Charles Manson Grandson Wins Legal Battle Over Cult Leader’s Body
On March 12, 2018, Kern County Superior Court Commissioner Alisa Knight ruled Freeman was Manson’s “surviving competent adult next of kin” and granted him custody. The court rejected the 2002 will because its witness signature was dated four days before the document was executed and it contained no specific instructions about remains. Brunner’s claim was disqualified because his adoption had legally severed his filial relationship to Manson.6CNN. Charles Manson Body Decision
Freeman held a Christian funeral for Manson on March 17, 2018, in Porterville, California. The body was cremated and the ashes scattered on a California hillside.7CNN. Charles Manson Cremated Funeral Freeman later scattered a portion over the Gulf of Mexico, filming himself doing so because he wanted public proof he was not keeping them.8Herald-Tribune. Charles Manson’s Grandson Wants to Change World
The Estate Fight
A separate and longer case has played out in Los Angeles probate court over Manson’s estate, which includes music royalties from songs recorded by The Beach Boys and Guns N’ Roses, commercial rights to his name and image, and personal memorabilia that attracts collectors willing to pay thousands of dollars.9CBS News. Charles Manson Estate Song Royalties
Several claimants surfaced. Channels relied again on the 2002 will. Matthew Robert Lentz, a Los Angeles musician also known as Matthew Roberts, claimed to be Manson’s biological son based on his mother’s account of a 1967 encounter; a CNN-facilitated DNA test comparing Lentz and Freeman found no shared Manson ancestry.1CNN. Charles Manson’s Grandson Two other men who claimed to be Manson’s sons, including Michael Brunner, were eliminated by the court.10ABC7. Charles Manson Estate Battle Down to Two People In 2021, Nancy Claassen of Spokane, Washington, filed a petition claiming to be Manson’s half-sister. She withdrew in July 2022 after Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ruben Garcia denied her petition for lack of evidence sufficient to rebut Freeman’s kinship claim.11Los Angeles Times. Charles Manson’s Sister Withdraws From Dispute Over His Estate
How Freeman Proved He Was the Grandson
In 2019, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Clifford Klein ordered Freeman to provide a DNA sample and directed testing of Manson’s remains. Freeman challenged the order, and in April 2021 a three-justice panel of California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal unanimously reversed it. Writing for the panel, Justice Judith Ashmann-Gerst held that neither the state Probate Code nor the Family Code authorized a court to order genetic testing of a living person and the remains of another to prove a grandparent-grandchild relationship.12Daily News. Man Who Claims to Be Charles Manson’s Grandson Doesn’t Have to Take DNA Test
Freeman’s team used documents instead. In June 2022, Judge Garcia found him “potentially an heir,” relying on a 1986 Ohio court order that had required Charles Manson Jr. to pay child support to Freeman’s mother. Attorneys later filed a Los Angeles County birth certificate listing Manson Jr.’s 1956 birth to Charles Manson Sr. and Rosalie Jean Willis, tying Freeman to the Manson line through paper rather than genetics.13LA Mag. Charles Manson Jr.’s Birth Certificate Emerges in Estate Battle
Where the Case Stands
By mid-2022, the contest had narrowed to Freeman and Channels, with the central question being whether the 2002 will is valid. Freeman’s attorneys have alleged the document resulted from “undue influence” by Channels over Manson while Manson was incarcerated. Legal experts noted that because the will did not specifically disinherit grandchildren, Freeman could have a strong claim under California intestacy law even if the will were found genuine. As of the most recent court reporting available, from July 2022, a final determination on the will’s validity had not been issued and hearings were continuing.14NBC Los Angeles. Charles Manson’s Half-Sister Drops Bid to Oversee Late Cult Leader’s Estate
Michael Brunner’s Son
The only other identified grandchild of Charles Manson is the son of Michael Brunner. He is in his late 20s, but his name has never been made public and he has not appeared in any legal proceedings over the estate.3Los Angeles Times. Michael Brunner Profile His father has lived a deliberately quiet life far from public attention, and his son appears to have followed that path.
What Isn’t Known About Charles Luther Manson’s Line
Whether Manson’s middle son had any children remains a gap in the public record. He lived under the name Jay Charles Warner from 1976 onward, stayed almost entirely out of the spotlight, and died in Colorado in 2007. No obituary listing survivors has surfaced publicly, and no one claiming descent from him has appeared in the estate proceedings or in reporting.2People. Where Are Charles Manson’s Children Now
How Freeman Talks About the Manson Name
Freeman is the only one of Manson’s known descendants to speak publicly about the family at length. He has told reporters he does not want to be “viewed for the actions of my grandfather” and has described that effort as “part of my testimony.”8Herald-Tribune. Charles Manson’s Grandson Wants to Change World He has visited inmates at Hardee Correctional Institute, discussed distributing supplies to homeless communities along Florida’s west coast, and said he would consider using any estate proceeds for charitable purposes or to block companies that profit from Manson-themed merchandise.
He has also participated in two documentary projects. A four-part series called “Manson’s Bloodline” followed him through the custody fight and included previously unheard recordings of phone calls between him and Manson from prison.15Deadline. Reelz to Air DRG-Funded Charles Manson Documentary Series Manson’s Bloodline A separate Reelz special, “Charles Manson: The Funeral,” documented the service itself.16Fox News. Man Who Says He’s Charles Manson’s Grandson Films Infamous Cult Leader’s Funeral for Doc
His public posture toward his grandfather has drawn criticism. At a 2018 press conference, Freeman said he loved his grandfather and that “everybody makes mistakes.” He has also claimed Manson did not directly order the Tate-LaBianca killings and that “his hands are clean,” a position at odds with the legal record that held Manson responsible.2People. Where Are Charles Manson’s Children Now Freeman has acknowledged the tension, saying he recognizes the “sinister” nature of his grandfather’s public image but believes he can dilute it by directing whatever he inherits toward something positive.