It’s not like anyone’s ever accused Korn frontman Jonathan Davis of being lighthearted and well adjusted. After all, the guy took a job in high school at his local morgue and has been venting onstage about mental and physical abuse for the past decade. Over the past few years however, Davis had been planning on opening a serial killer museum.
pic above: Jonathan Davis with John Wayne Gacy’s “Pogo” costume
For years, Davis has been buying mass murderer art and other items, and has amassed a series of works owned or created by America’s most twisted and nefarious individuals.
Jonathan Davis poses in front of Ted Bundy’s infamous VW. Yes, the same VW that Bundy used to pick up women in the ’70s. (Debbie Harry claims she was one of them, but the facts suggest the Blondie frontwoman was mistaken.) The 33-year-old Davis doesn’t see anything strange about this.
“The car was auctioned off by the police,” he says. “They always sell stuff off after a long time has passed between the crimes.”
Davis says he bought the car with the aim to open a museum dedicated to serial killers, but the project has been shelved and the car is taking up space in his Los Angeles garage.
“I’m just gonna keep it,” he says. “I’d never drive it.”
“I really caught the bug of collecting serial killer artifacts and we have a whole gangster section with autopsy bullets of famous gangsters that were killed; like a whole bunch of stuff, so…I think my pride and joy is my Gacy suit and the Bundy Bug.”
But the project never got off the ground. Davis has been sued by a former business associate for breach of contract after announcing plans for a museum of American serial killers.
Arthur Rosenblatt, a collector of criminal artifacts, sued Davis, a former mortuary science student, and his associates, for approximately $4 million in a 12-count lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday (22 June 2004), relating to a failed attempt to open a museum.
In the suit, Rosenblatt says Davis approached him in June 2001 about his collection of “Americana”.
Rosenblatt told Davis of his plan to open a museum of artifacts related to the criminal justice system and Davis said he wanted to participate, offering $250,000 to fund the museum, which Rosenblatt suggested be named the MUSEUM OF JUSTICE + ODDITORIUM or MOJO MUSEUM, according to court papers.
In the lawsuit, Rosenblatt claims Davis and other partners never provided any money and that his life was threatened on various occasions.
Rosenblatt, now living in New York, says he’s considering pursuing criminal charges against Davis.
According to the suit, between 2001 and 2003, Rosenblatt left his job, relocated to Los Angeles and loaned Davis Bundy’s car and other artwork worth $20,000.
Starting around April 2002, Davis appeared on MTV and on radio referring to the museum as a “serial killer museum” and using other terminology that was contrary to the deal between Davis and Rosenblatt, say court documents.
Others became involved, including David Engle, a friend of Davis, who offered $350,000 in exchange for a percentage of museum profits, but never provided the money, the suit says.
By March 2003, Davis suggested funding the museum via a TV or film production and then in April 2003, he brought in other financiers who suggested a stage show with bikini-clad women, the suit said.
Rosenblatt expressed no desire to change the show in that way and claims Davis refused to return the car and artifacts. The suit says Davis displayed Rosenblatt’s artwork at Ozzfest, where he performed, and then subsequently offered to return the car to Rosenblatt only if he promised not to sue.
At Ozzfest 2003, a black trailer located near the second stage held a display of artifacts from Korn singer Jonathan Davis’ personal collection, including a life-size replica of movie demon Pinhead; cyber-erotic paintings by H.R. Giger; Nirvana’s final set list from Munich, Germany 1993; and artifacts tied to serial killers Albert Fish, John Wayne Gacy, Richard Ramirez and Ted Bundy.
A frame containing a Ted Bundy legal document (signed twice by Bundy) and a photo of him.
The 1928 confession letter from cannibal Albert Fish, who killed over 100 children and wrote letters to some of the families of the victims containing gruesome details of the murders
The “Pogo” clown suit worn by John Wayne Gacy when he entertained kids at his local children’s hospital (he later killed at least 33 people between the ages of 9 and 27)
The “Patches” clown suit worn by John Wayne Gacy.
John Wayne Gacy painting: A Gacy painting representing his transformation into Pogo
John Wayne Gacy painting: A Gacy painting of himself and a friend standing in a cemetery
Jonathan Davis looks over his Richard Ramirez (The Nightstalker) artwork
Drawings by Richard Ramirez, the “Night Stalker,” who committed at least 13 murders between 1984 and 1985 and considered himself a disciple of Satan
Drawings by Richard Ramirez, the “Night Stalker,” who committed at least 13 murders between 1984 and 1985 and considered himself a disciple of Satan
Part of the Ozzfest display
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