California Governor Gavin Newsom has once again denied parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, the longest-serving female inmate in the state and one of Charles Manson’s most infamous followers, citing what he calls continued concerns about her “insight” and potential danger to society.
An Unreasonable Danger To Society
In a decision released Monday, Newsom rejected a May 2025 parole recommendation for the 77-year-old, writing that Krenwinkel “currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison.” “I have concluded that the evidence in Ms. Krenwinkel’s case demonstrates that she lacks the requisite insight she needs to be safely released,” Newsom wrote in his statement.
She Was Only 21 When She Carried Out Manson’s Orders
The front page of The Cincinnati Enquirer on August 10, 1969, with stories on the tornado and the slaying of actress Sharon Tate. The Cincinnati Enquirer Sun Aug 10 1969
Krenwinkel was 21 in 1969 when she participated in the Manson Family’s two-night killing spree that left seven people dead, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate. Convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder, she was originally sentenced to death in 1971. That sentence was later commuted to life in prison after California temporarily outlawed the death penalty in 1972.
Newsom Thinks She’s A Risk To Society
California Governor Gavin Newsom at the Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion prior to the CNN Presidential Debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump held at CNN’s studios in Atlanta on June 27, 2024.
Newsom acknowledged Krenwinkel’s efforts at bettering herself as a member of prison rehab and educational programs in his decision, writing that he “commends her for taking these steps” and he hopes that she’ll “continue on this positive path.” Still, he concluded that her progress does not outweigh lingering concerns. He writes, “While Ms. Krenwinkel has shown progress, her insight into her role in these crimes remains limited.” While her age and physical decline have been considered under California’s Elderly Parole Law, those factors “are not sufficient to outweigh her continued risk.”
She’s Been Up For Parole Before
This is the second time Newsom has overturned a parole board’s decision to release Krenwinkel. He blocked her parole in 2022 for similar reasons, concluding that despite her age and good behavior, she still presented an ongoing danger. Under California law, people who commit crimes before the age of 26 are considered “youthful offenders,” and parole boards must take that into account when determining whether they can safely re-enter society. Newsom’s office said it did, but ultimately found the mitigating factors “outweighed by negative factors that bear on her risk for future dangerousness.”
A Devoted Follower
Krenwinkel has long been viewed as one of Manson’s most devoted followers. She met him when she was 19 and soon became part of the so-called “Family.” During the 1969 murders, prosecutors said she helped kill coffee heiress Abigail Folger at the Tate residence and took part in the LaBianca murders the following night. Her case remains one of the most enduring legal legacies of the Manson era. Fellow follower Leslie Van Houten was released on parole in 2023 after more than 50 years behind bars, while Charles “Tex” Watson remains incarcerated. Susan Atkins, another Manson Family member, died in prison in 2009, and Manson himself died in 2017 after nearly five decades in custody.
