The Charles Manson follower convicted of participating in seven murders and serving a life sentence may be released from prison after 56 years. Patricia Krenwinkel, 78, has previously received parole approval twice only to have her release blocked by the governor.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the California Board of Parole Hearings granted tentative parole for Krenwinkel on the 6th. Krenwinkel is a key figure in the 1969 serial murder case that shocked American society.
In the late 1960s, Charles Manson gathered young followers to form the ‘Manson Family,’ acting like a cult leader to manipulate followers and order murders. The brutal killings of innocent citizens remain one of the most infamous crimes in American history.
This was Krenwinkel’s 18th parole hearing. It marks the third time parole has been granted, with the previous two attempts blocked by the governor.
However, this decision does not mean immediate release. The parole board will review the results over the next 120 days before sending the case to Governor Gavin Newsom, who has 30 days to overturn the decision.
Governor Newsom previously denied Krenwinkel’s parole in October of last year, acknowledging her efforts to rehabilitate in prison but determining she remains a danger to society. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office is also opposing the decision and plans to request a denial from the governor.
The crimes committed by Krenwinkel horrified the American public at the time.
In August 1969, Krenwinkel, then 21, followed Manson’s orders and entered a mansion in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, along with other followers. The home belonged to actress Sharon Tate, wife of film director Roman Polanski, who was seven months pregnant.
The group murdered five people in the house, including Tate. The following day, they killed grocery executive Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary, resulting in seven deaths over the span of two days.
The methods of the crime were brutal. Krenwinkel testified at trial that she chased coffee heiress Abigail Folger and stabbed her more than 20 times with a knife, writing ‘Death to pigs’ on the wall with the victim’s blood.
Krenwinkel was sentenced to death for murder in 1971. However, after the California Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional the following year, her sentence was commuted to life with the possibility of parole.
More than half a century later, victims’ families still oppose her release. Debra Tate, Sharon Tate’s younger sister, has led an online petition to block Krenwinkel’s parole, gathering over 100,000 signatures since it began in 2016.
Debra stated in the petition that society should not allow a serial killer who committed such horrific and brutal random murders back onto the streets.
Conversely, Krenwinkel’s defense has emphasized her young age at the time of the crimes and that she suffered abuse from Manson and others. She qualifies for parole consideration under rules applied to elderly inmates and those who committed crimes at a young age.
Manson followers have been released after decades of imprisonment in the past. In 2023, fellow Manson Family member Leslie Van Houten was released after serving 53 years. Although Governor Newsom also rejected her parole, the California Court of Appeal overturned the decision, granting her freedom.
Other Manson followers remain behind bars. Charles Manson died in prison in 2017, and key followers Susan Atkins and Bruce Davis also died while incarcerated.
