California Governor Gavin Newsom has once again denied parole for Patricia Krenwinkel, the longest-serving female inmate in the state and former follower of Charles Manson. Despite Krenwinkel’s participation in self-improvement programs, vocational training, college education, and service dog work over more than 50 years in prison, Newsom cited ongoing concerns about her lack of sufficient insight and the risk she poses to public safety.
Krenwinkel, now 77, was convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder for her role in the 1969 Manson Family killings, including the murder of actress Sharon Tate. Originally sentenced to death, her sentence was commuted to life in prison after California abolished the death penalty in 1972.
This marks the second time Governor Newsom has overturned a parole recommendation for Krenwinkel, previously denying her release in 2022 for similar reasons. Although California law provides special consideration for youthful offenders (those under 26 at the time of the crime), Newsom stated that Krenwinkel’s case does not meet the threshold for release, pointing to a 2025 psychological evaluation that found she continues to exhibit deficits in self-awareness and a tendency to externalize blame.
Newsom also reviewed her case under California’s Elderly Parole laws due to her age and health issues but concluded that her physical frailty does not sufficiently mitigate the risk she poses if released.
Patricia Krenwinkel remains incarcerated at the California Institution for Women in Corona. Her co-defendant Leslie Van Houten was granted parole in 2023, while other Manson followers either remain imprisoned or have died.
