Horror museum acquires the cremated remains of Charles Manson

MONROE, MI - A rare piece of true crime history is on display in Michigan: the cremated remains of Charles Manson.

The Michigan Museum of Horror in Monroe has acquired this artifact. Nate Thompson, the Museum's owner, says this is one of only two vials containing Manson's remains known to exist.

"Items like this are one in a million," Thompson told MLive. "When we were able to verify the item as authentic, along with fellow authentications from seasoned collectors, as well as having the paper trail leading to the original source, we knew we had to acquire it."

Thompson says the only other vial that collectors know about is in a personal collection, not available for the public to see. Both vials were acquired from collector Anthony Miller.

Thompson says the only other Manson ashes he knows that exist were used to make a blood painting on display at Zak Bagans' Museum in Las Vegas .

Manson, who died in 2017 , was head of the California-based Manson Family cult. In the summer of 1969, members of this group killed at least nine people , authorities have said.

Along with Manson's cremated remains, the Michigan Museum of Horror owns signed letters and hairs from Manson.

The Michigan Museum of Horror is at 44 South Monroe St. in downtown Monroe. The multi-story horror museum opened in October 2022 . The museum houses human skulls, skeletons, brains and exotic specimens, as well as pieces of a mummy.

It also owns other true-crime artifacts from the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer, the BTK Killer, the Zodiac Killer and OJ Simpson.