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Page raising money for Charles Manson's funeral shut down by GoFundMe

Charles Manson clowns around as he is led to his cell in 1989: Reuters
Charles Manson clowns around as he is led to his cell in 1989: Reuters

A fundraising webpage which claimed to be raising money for the funeral of notorious mass murderer Charles Manson has been shut down by the GoFundMe charity.

Set up by a man called John Michael Jones, he claimed to be raising money on behalf of Manson’s grandson Jason Freeman.

The Independent has not been able to independently verify whether Mr Jones knows any member of Manson’s family.

But some US media outlets reported that they had spoken to Mr Freeman, who confirmed he has asked Mr Jones to set up the page.

He reportedly raised $972 (£728) before the page was taken down by the website.

Manson and his followers were convicted of nine counts of murder at four different locations in California between July and August 1969.

He had hoped to ignite an “apocalyptic race war” and was sentenced to life in prison.

He died at California State Prison in Corcoran of natural causes, aged 83, over the weekend.

Prison officers in California are reportedly trying to figure out how to dispose of his body, either through burial or cremation, to avoid his grave becoming a sight of pilgrimage.

Undeterred Mr Jones posted on a Facebook group called Murderabilia, which facilitates the sale and exchange of serial killer memorabilia, where he vowed to continue fundraising and announced he was switching to PayPal.

He had previously posted signed postcards and business cards allegedly signed by Manson on the page.

He said: “It breaks my heart to see Jason now suffering from the same prejudices, hate, discrimination and deliberate lies that his grandfather endured for 48 years.”

Mr Freeman added that he was the son of the killer’s only known child, Charles Manson Jr. He was the product of Manson’s first marriage to Rosalie Willis in the 1950s.

But it may not be so simple for him to claim ownership of his father’s body as Manson reportedly wrote a will in March in which he names Matthew Roberts – a musician who has claimed he is the killer’s illegitimate son – his sole beneficiary, according to The Sun.

Mr Roberts said he was adopted but he tracked down his birth mother in 2001 who told him she had been raped by Manson in 1968 – nine months before his birth.

It is not know whether the will is legally valid, Manson reportedly believed he was immortal, but if it is Mr Roberts will have possession of his body and will arrange the funeral.

The Independent has contacted GoFundMe for comment.