Who Is Jason Freeman? Charles Manson's Grandson To Get Cult Leader's Remains

Kern County Superior Court, California, announced Monday the remains of notorious murderer Charles Manson would be handed over to Jason Freeman, who claimed to be his grandson. Manson’s body was kept at an undisclosed location since his death Nov. 19.

On learning he had won against his competitors — Michael Brunner, who claimed to be Manson’s son, and Michael Channels, Manson’s friend and memorabilia collector who claimed to have access to the cult leader’s will — Freeman, 41, breathed a sigh of relief.

"I can finally say this part is over," he told CNN. "I never looked at it as being a battle between anybody. This is unreal — this is something I actually played out in my mind ever since I was a kid.”

Freeman is an oil rig worker and lives with his wife, Audrey, who is well aware her husband is Manson’s grandson. He describes himself as a spiritual person, often posting proverbs from the Bible on Facebook, where his profile name reads Jason Freeman Manson. The date of Manson's burial is yet to be revealed.

After Freeman was informed Manson had died, he regretted never having met him in person.

“It’s weighing on my shoulders. I should have been faster, should have done more, should have done something different. It’s like I was trying too hard at the end of the marathon and now the marathon is over. That’s what it feels like,” he said, New York Daily News reported. “I don’t want to say I feel defeated, but I feel beat up right now.”

Nevertheless, he hoped his grandfather’s remains will be released in his custody and he gets to give him a proper burial with everyone “who love my grandfather and who may know more of where he would want to be.”

Freeman was a teenager when he found out he was related to the cult leader, who was one of the most dangerous murderers of his time.

In a 2012 interview with CNN, Freeman claimed his father – formerly named Charles Manson Jr. – was the son of the infamous murderer and his first wife, Rosalie.

Freeman barely knew his biological father, who killed himself in his late 30s. He blamed his grandfather for his father’s death till he started speaking to Manson on the phone and finally forgave him.

“It wasn't until the 8th grade that it hit home for me who my grandfather was,” Freeman said in an interview with I Am A Little Off blogger. “We had a history class on Charles Manson and at this time I did not have much interest in who he was or the details involving the murders. I do recall wondering how many of my classmates knew that I was his grandson...”

In the same interview, Freeman recalled Manson refused to believe he was his grandson at first. It was not until he had produced his father’s death certificate and his birth certificate he finally became convinced.

“Although I wasn't expecting open arms at first, I was a little shocked to feel rejection from him. I didn't expect all the questions that was thrown my way or the fact that I had to go through so much to prove who I was for him to finally relax on the fact that we really were family,” he said.

After interacting with Manson, Freeman said he began seeing him “a different man than what my mother always told me.” He began believing his grandfather was wrongly convicted of some of the most gruesome crimes in history.

“If he was there chopping people up, that would make a big difference in how I look at him, but him not having his hands (physically) there, I don’t believe he should have spent almost 50 years in prison,” Freeman argued. "I'm not saying he's not guilty of murder sometime in his life, but the Sharon Tate murder, I don't think he's guilty of that.”

Freeman kept on rallying for visiting rights to meet Manson, but it is believed his grandfather was the one who never gave him the green light. Nevertheless, Freeman maintains Manson said he loved him.

"He told me he loved me. I told him I loved him. It took five years for that to come out of his mouth," he said. "Most people in the world wouldn't understand. They wouldn't get what I'm saying. We all look at anybody and everybody who kills as a killer. But all I have is my love.”