Patricia Krenwinkel, 78, who was 21 at the time of the killings, has been imprisoned longer than any other woman in California. The parole board has repeatedly acknowledged her record of rehabilitation over 57 years, concluding she would not be a danger to society in her elderly age.
Krenwinkel was convicted in 1971 for her role in the violent crime spree that claimed the lives of actor Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant, and four friends, as well as grocery owner Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. The gruesome murders became one of the most notorious crime stories in the United States.
Her attorneys have said Krenwinkel was 19 when she "fell under Charles Manson's control" and was exploited and psychologically abused by the cult leader. In a statement, her lawyer Keith Wattley said: "Reaching this moment has taken decades of hard, deliberate work to confront who she was, what she did, and the devastating harm she caused. She fully accepts responsibility for her actions, everything she contributed to, and every life she destroyed in 1969. Pat does not excuse or minimize that harm."
Wattley noted that Krenwinkel has had a clean disciplinary record in prison, and nine consecutive psychological evaluations over the past 40 years have found her to be a low public safety risk. He said she has participated in extensive therapy and group counseling, earned a college degree, and trained service dogs for people with disabilities.
Debra Tate, Sharon Tate's sister, has repeatedly objected to the release of Krenwinkel and other Manson followers.
When Newsom denied Krenwinkel parole in 2022, after the board first found her suitable for release, he acknowledged she had been a victim of Manson's abuse and said she had matured in prison and engaged in commendable rehabilitative efforts. But he argued she had not developed sufficient insight into the causative factors of her crime and her triggers for antisocial thinking, and was still dangerous. When he again denied her parole in 2025, he acknowledged her serious chronic medical conditions had diminished her strength but concluded she was still a threat.
The governor's office has 120 days to review the latest parole grant and may reverse or modify it.