Some of Charles Manson's remains are part of a couple's creepy tribute to the mass murderer ... they paid for his ashes to be used in their matching, portrait tattoos.
Patrick Boos, the Niagra Falls man who got inked up, tells TMZ ... his wife Deanne wanted to be the first woman with a tattoo featuring Manson's ashes, and he didn't want her to go it alone, so he got one too.
As you can see, the couple both got CM portraits ... Patrick's is on his thigh, and Deanne's is on her lower leg ... and the couple says the special ink set them back about $1,600 total.
Tattoo artist Ryan Almighty tells TMZ ... Manson's ashes are mixed in with the red ink and black outlining on the tatts.
As we've reported, Ryan says he copped ashes from CM's cremation ... and he used some last year to give Patrick at "Helter Skelter" face tatt. Ryan obtained the macabre remains from people who scooped up ashes when they were scattered at Manson's funeral.
Patrick says he's gotten mixed reviews about his 'Skelter' tattoo ... some people say it's cool, while others have gotten pissed off and made rude comments.
Despite the criticism, Patrick says he's thinking about getting another CM tatt with more ashes ... potentially one of the Manson women, like Leslie Van Houten.
The way Patrick sees it ... these tattoos are the same as collecting memorabilia.