41-year-old pacifist DJ discovers his real father is legendary serial killer Charles Manson

[LancesMom]

Who's your daddy?

Oh, damn. It's Charles Manson.

A 41-year-old man, who was adopted as a 10-year-old and raised in Illinois, spoke out recently about the harrowing discovery.

"It was like finding out your father is Hitler," Matthew Roberts told The Sun newspaper.

Roberts found out about his long-lost daddy about a dozen years ago after using a search agency to find his birth mother. The birth mother told him that she had been raped and that the 1960s Helter Skelter killer was his father.

A year after Roberts' birth in 1968, Manson and his 'Family' of followers committed nine murders in Los Angeles over five weeks, including the stabbing of pregnant actress Sharon Tate. She was the wife of film director Roman Polanski.

"I'm a peaceful person - trapped in the face of a monster," Roberts said. "My hero is Gandhi. I'm an extremely non-violent, peaceful person and a vegetarian. I don't even kill bugs."

The truth of Roberts' birth unfolded gradually as he and his mother began to write each other.

At first she refused to pass on details, but ultimately she revealed that she had been captivated by Manson and joined his cult in San Francisco.

When his mother saw Roberts' photograph she said her suspicions were confirmed. The killer and his son share nearly identical facial features and they have the same thick, dark hair.

Roberts has corresponded with his unrepentant father, now 75 and confined for life in California's Corcoran State Prison.

The mass killer confirmed he is Roberts' father, and recalled the times he spent with Matthew's mother in a string of ten rambling handwritten notes and postcards signed with a swastika - the same symbol he has tattooed on his forehead.

"He sends me weird stuff and always signs it with his swastika," Roberts said. "At first I was stunned and depressed. I wasn't able to speak for a day. I remember not being able to eat."

But, he added: "He's my biological father - I can't help but have some kind of emotional connection. That's the hardest thing of all - feeling love for a monster who raped my mother. I don't want to love him, but I don't want to hate him either."

Poor Guy!

[lifescholar]

Wow.  What a thing to find out.

It's nerve-wracking to find your natural parents.  Lucky for me, mine are totally normal, and are wonderful people!  I can't even imagine how that would feel!

[Mojitomommy]

i agree , wow !

[kanalee]

How terrible.....

[behappilyever]

that's rough. he sounds like a good guy too. i hope he continues to handle it ok

[tericared]

That is horrible for this guy...but  I wonder how a grown man could not at least dislike a man who had raped his Mother....

[ddbz]

 Nature vs nurture! According to this article, the son suffers from schizophrenia, and I believe his father was also schizo.

And I wonder how many other offspring of Manson are out there ...

[angel-s-cort]

.....wow!

[survivorinohio]

Quoting ddbz:

 Nature vs nurture! According to this article, the son suffers from schizophrenia, and I believe his father was also schizo.

And I wonder how many other offspring of Manson are out there ...

I think many disorders are hereditary, unfortunately, and I think this mans pacifism shows nurture plays a significant part in the progression and outcomes of these disorders.

To the OP I think that it would be traumatic to learn such a terrible truth.  I wouldnt want to find out that my parent was a killer, thats for sure.

[mommibee]

Jeepers Creepers!  That is terrible!  It is like learning you are the spawn of Satan.  I would have barfed and would still be barfing.

[stormcris]

This brings to mind the sum of the parts are not as great as the whole. It does not matter where you came from only what you are now.