Manson Family killer Patricia Krenwinkel may walk free after 55 years behind bars, despite having participated in the brutal murder of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others in 1969’s infamous cult killings.
Key Takeaways
- Patricia Krenwinkel, 77, the longest-serving female inmate in California, has been recommended for parole after 55 years in prison for her role in the Manson Family murders
- Governor Gavin Newsom must make the final decision on her release, having previously rejected a similar recommendation in 2022
- Krenwinkel has maintained a perfect behavior record in prison and is deemed a low risk for reoffending, according to the parole panel
- Victims’ families remain firmly opposed to her release, with Sharon Tate’s sister Debra criticizing Krenwinkel’s failure to personally apologize to the families
- This marks Krenwinkel’s 16th parole hearing after originally being sentenced to death in 1971, before having her sentence commuted when the death penalty was ruled unconstitutional
California Parole Board Recommends Release of Infamous Manson Follower
Patricia Krenwinkel, a key member of Charles Manson’s murderous cult responsible for a two-day killing spree that terrorized Los Angeles in 1969, may soon be released from prison. At 77, Krenwinkel is now the longest-serving female inmate in California’s prison system after spending 55 years behind bars for her participation in the murders of seven people, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate. The parole panel’s recommendation comes after determining that Krenwinkel, who has renounced Manson and maintained a perfect behavior record in prison, poses little risk of reoffending given her advanced age and apparent rehabilitation.
This marks the 16th time Krenwinkel has appeared before the parole board and the second time parole has been recommended. Governor Gavin Newsom rejected a previous recommendation in 2022, citing her significant role in the cult and the extreme violence she perpetrated. The current recommendation will undergo review by the legal division of the Board of Parole Hearings, a process that could take up to four months. If the full board agrees with the panel’s assessment, the decision will then be forwarded to Governor Newsom, who will have 30 days to review it, with options to approve, reject, or request further review.
A Bloody History and Claims of Redemption
Krenwinkel was 19 when she met Manson in 1967, quickly falling under his manipulative influence and joining his “family” of devoted followers. By 1969, she was deeply entrenched in the cult that would commit some of the most notorious murders in American history. Krenwinkel personally participated in the killings at the Tate residence and the following night at the LaBianca home, where she used a knife to stab coffee heiress Abigail Folger 28 times. During the trial, Krenwinkel and other cult members displayed unwavering loyalty to Manson, but she has since distanced herself from him and expressed remorse.
“[I’m] just haunted each and every day by the unending suffering my participation in murders caused. I’m so ashamed of my actions … I am ever aware that the victims who perished had so much life yet to live.” said Patricia Krenwinkel
Krenwinkel is one of just two remaining Manson followers still imprisoned, alongside Charles “Tex” Watson. Other members have either died or been released, including Leslie Van Houten, whose parole was initially blocked by Governor Newsom but later overturned by a state appeals court in 2023. Manson himself died in prison in 2017 at age 83, never showing remorse for orchestrating the killing spree that shocked the nation and effectively ended the peace-and-love era of the 1960s.
Victims’ Families Fight Against Release
The families of those murdered remain staunchly opposed to Krenwinkel’s release, arguing that the heinous nature of the crimes should preclude any possibility of parole. Debra Tate, sister of actress Sharon Tate who was eight-and-a-half months pregnant when she was stabbed 16 times, has consistently fought against the release of any Manson family members. She points to what she sees as a lack of genuine remorse, noting that Krenwinkel has never directly apologized to the victims’ families despite having multiple opportunities to do so over the decades.
“They could have an opportunity to actually sit down face-to-face and say they’re sorry, but they won’t do it. When you refuse to talk and your victims’ families are asking for it over and over again, isn’t that yet another kind of torture?” said Debra Tate
The parole recommendation for Krenwinkel continues the complex legal saga surrounding the Manson Family members. Originally sentenced to death in 1971, Krenwinkel’s sentence was automatically commuted to life with the possibility of parole when California’s death penalty was deemed unconstitutional in 1972. Now, Governor Newsom faces the difficult decision of weighing her rehabilitation claims and advanced age against the enduring trauma inflicted on the victims’ families and the extraordinarily brutal nature of crimes that continue to horrify Americans more than five decades later.
