Patricia Krenwinkel, a former follower of Charles Manson, was granted parole on Tuesday during her 18th subsequent suitability hearing after serving 57 years in a California prison for her role in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Incarcerated longest in California following Manson family murders
Krenwinkel, now 78, is currently the woman who has served the longest term in a California state prison. She was 21 years old at the time of the August 1969 killings carried out by members of the Manson family. She was convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder in 1971 for participating in the slayings alongside fellow followers Charles “Tex” Watson and Leslie Van Houten.
The victims of the two-night crime spree included actress Sharon Tate—who was eight months pregnant, or seven-and-a-half months pregnant—alongside Thomas Jay Sebring, Abigail Ann Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, and Steven Earl Parent on August 9, 1969. Grocers Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were killed the following day.
Prior Commutations and Reversals by Governor Gavin Newsom
The defendants in the case were originally sentenced to death, but those sentences were commuted to life in prison after a 1972 California Supreme Court ruling invalidated all death sentences predating that year. Tuesday’s decision marks the third time California’s board of parole hearings has approved Krenwinkel for release, following prior grants in May 2022 and May 2025.
Governor Gavin Newsom reversed both of those previous parole grants. When blocking her release in October 2025, Newsom commended her efforts to improve herself in prison, including earning multiple college degrees, maintaining an excellent disciplinary record, and addressing chronic medical conditions that have diminished her physical strength. However, the governor concluded that those rehabilitative steps were outweighed by concerns that she still posed an unreasonable danger to society and lacked sufficient insight into the causative factors of her crimes.
Lawyers urge governor to let parole ruling stand
Attorneys representing Krenwinkel through the non-profit organization UnCommon Law have urged Governor Newsom to let the latest ruling stand. Her lawyer, Keith Wattley, stated that Krenwinkel has a clean disciplinary record and has been found to be a low public safety risk across nine consecutive psychological evaluations over the past 40 years.
Wattley argued that Krenwinkel fell under Charles Manson’s control at age 19 and was exploited through manipulation, drugs, and psychological abuse. “Reaching this moment has taken decades of hard, deliberate work to confront who she was, what she did, and the devastating harm she caused,” Wattley said in a statement, adding that she fully accepts responsibility for her actions. Advocates have contended that the governor’s previous denials were driven by political pressures surrounding high-profile cases, pointing to the 2023 release of fellow Manson follower Leslie Van Houten after an appeals court overturned a similar gubernatorial veto.
Governor faces thirty day review window after board decision
The preliminary parole recommendation initiates a mandatory 120-day review period by the Board of Parole Hearings. Because Krenwinkel was convicted of murder, Governor Newsom will have an additional 30 days following that review to either allow the decision to stand or reverse it.
State law requires the governor to consider Krenwinkel’s elderly age and the fact that she committed the crimes as a youth during his review of the case. If the governor chooses to reverse this latest parole decision, Krenwinkel will be scheduled for another hearing within 18 months, according to state corrections officials.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Krenwinkel Parole Case
What happens during the 120-day review period for Patricia Krenwinkel’s parole?
The preliminary decision undergoes a comprehensive evaluation by the California Board of Parole Hearings to ensure all statutory requirements and risk assessments have been properly met before the file reaches the governor’s desk.
What role does the governor play in California parole decisions involving murder convictions?
Under California law, once the parole board completes its 120-day review of a murder case, the governor has an additional 30 days to examine the record and either permit the release to proceed or issue a formal reversal based on public safety evaluations.
Why have previous parole grants for Krenwinkel been blocked?
Governor Newsom reversed previous parole grants in 2022 and 2025, acknowledging Krenwinkel’s rehabilitative efforts and disciplinary record while concluding that she had not yet developed sufficient insight into the triggers and causes of her crimes.
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