Manson family member Patricia Krenwinkel, who participated in the brutal murders of seven people including pregnant actress Sharon Tate, has been recommended for parole despite outrage from victims’ families who still bear the scars of her heinous crimes over five decades later.
Key Takeaways
- Patricia Krenwinkel, 77, the longest-serving female inmate in California, has been recommended for parole after 54 years in prison for her role in the 1969 Manson Family murders.
- This is Krenwinkel’s 16th parole hearing, with Governor Gavin Newsom previously overturning a similar recommendation in 2022.
- Despite her claimed rehabilitation and perfect prison behavior record, victims’ family members remain strongly opposed to her release.
- The parole recommendation will undergo a legal review before Governor Newsom makes the final decision, which could take up to 150 days.
- Krenwinkel is one of only two remaining imprisoned Manson followers, alongside Charles “Tex” Watson.
California’s Longest-Serving Female Inmate Seeks Freedom
Patricia Krenwinkel, now 77 years old, has spent more than 54 years behind bars for her participation in one of America’s most infamous murder sprees. As a devoted follower of cult leader Charles Manson, Krenwinkel was convicted for her role in the brutal Los Angeles killings that shocked the nation in the summer of 1969. Originally sentenced to death in 1971, her punishment was later commuted to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole when California temporarily abolished capital punishment in 1972. The recent parole recommendation marks a significant development in a case that continues to evoke strong emotions among Americans who remember the shocking brutality of the Manson Family’s crimes.
The parole board panel based their recommendation on several factors, including Krenwinkel’s advanced age, her unblemished behavior record during incarceration, and their assessment that she poses minimal risk to public safety. This determination marks the second time she has received a favorable parole recommendation, following a similar decision in 2022 that was ultimately overturned by Governor Gavin Newsom. The governor cited her significant role in the Manson cult and the extreme violence she participated in as justification for denying her release. The recommendation now enters a review phase by the legal division of the Board of Parole Hearings, a process that could take up to four months.
A Legacy of Horror and Claimed Redemption
Krenwinkel’s involvement with Manson began in 1967 when she met him at age 19 and quickly fell under his influence, becoming deeply enmeshed in his cult alongside other followers. Under Manson’s direction, she participated in the shocking two-day killing spree that claimed seven lives, including that of actress Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant at the time. The brutality of these murders, which included multiple stabbings and the writing of “WAR” on one victim’s abdomen with his blood, sent shockwaves through American society. These crimes, intended by Manson to spark a race war he called “Helter Skelter,” remain among the most notorious in U.S. criminal history.
“[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
During her decades of incarceration, Krenwinkel has publicly renounced Charles Manson and expressed remorse for her actions. Prison officials note that she has maintained exemplary behavior throughout her sentence, participating in rehabilitation programs and counseling services. Advocates for her release point to these factors, along with her advanced age, as evidence that she has been rehabilitated and no longer poses a threat to society. Krenwinkel is now one of just two remaining Manson followers still in prison, alongside Charles “Tex” Watson, following the 2023 release of Leslie Van Houten after a state appeals court overturned Governor Newsom’s attempt to block her parole.
Victims’ Families Fight Against Release
Despite claims of rehabilitation, the families of Krenwinkel’s victims remain steadfastly opposed to her release, arguing that the heinous nature of her crimes should preclude any possibility of parole. Debra Tate, sister of murdered actress Sharon Tate, has been particularly vocal in opposing the release of any Manson family members. She has attended numerous parole hearings over the decades, determined to ensure that her sister’s killers remain behind bars. The emotional toll on victims’ families continues even after more than five decades, with many insisting that no amount of good behavior can atone for the lives that were so brutally taken.
“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
Governor Newsom now faces a difficult decision that balances multiple competing interests: the state’s legal obligation to consider parole for eligible inmates, the rights of victims’ families, and public safety concerns. If the full parole board upholds the panel’s recommendation, the governor will have 30 days to review the decision, with options to approve, reject, or request further examination. His previous rejection of Krenwinkel’s parole suggests he may again side with victims’ families, though the successful court challenge to his decision regarding Van Houten could influence his approach. The resolution of this case will likely reignite debate about justice, redemption, and whether some crimes are simply too horrific to ever warrant release.
