Charles Manson follower imprisoned in Hollywood killings gets major ruling from governor

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has reversed a parole board’s decision to release Patricia Krenwinkel, a former follower of cult leader Charles Manson and one of the perpetrators of the 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders.

In a decision issued Oct. 13 and obtained by Fox News, Newsom wrote that Krenwinkel, now 77, "lacks the requisite insight she needs to be safely released."

"Ms. Krenwinkel has engaged in productive introspection," the governor’s order says, quoting the psychologist who evaluated her, "but she exhibits some deficits in self-awareness, such as a tendency to externalize blame for her prior transgressions."

Newsom said he agreed those factors remain relevant to her current risk and concluded that, despite her "commendable" progress, she "currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released."

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Charles Manson is shown in the custody of Los Angeles police officers.  (Bettmann Archive via Getty Images)

Krenwinkel was 21 years old when she joined other members of Manson’s so-called "Family" in two nights of killings that left seven people dead, including actress Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant.

According to the governor’s summary of the case, Krenwinkel and others fatally stabbed Tate’s friend Abigail Folger, and helped restrain or attack several of the victims. The following night, the group murdered Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, leaving phrases such as "Death to Pigs," "Rise," and "Healter [sic] Skelter" written in blood around their home.

The parole board has held 17 hearings for Krenwinkel since 1977, denying parole 14 times, and she voluntarily declined to seek it once. 

In May 2022, the board found her suitable for release, but Newsom reversed that decision that October, citing her lack of insight and tendency to externalize blame. Krenwinkel’s challenge to that reversal was denied by the Los Angeles County Superior Court in January 2024, and the ruling was later affirmed on appeal.

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Jay Sebring (left, with Sharon Tate), courageously fought Charles Manson (right) before he was killed in 1969. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Getty Images)

The board held another hearing on May 30, 2025, at which Krenwinkel exercised her right not to testify. Newsom’s current decision reverses the board’s latest proposed grant of parole.

In his latest review, Newsom acknowledged that Krenwinkel was 21 at the time of the crimes and noted that psychological evaluations described her as displaying "transient immaturity, impulsiveness and recklessness" and "a lessened capacity to extricate herself from disadvantageous environments." Still, he determined that her current self-awareness remains insufficient.

The governor credited her extensive rehabilitation — self-help programs, vocational training, multiple college degrees and mentoring work — but concluded that these gains are outweighed by her continuing "deficits in self-awareness" and "tendency to externalize blame."

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(L-R) Susan Denise Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten laugh after receiving the death sentence for their part in the Tate-LaBianca killings at the order of Charles Manson.  (Bettmann Archive via Getty Images)

He also considered elderly parole factors, noting Krenwinkel’s chronic medical conditions and declining strength at age 77, yet wrote that "her current physical condition is not the most relevant indication of her current risk level."

"When considered as a whole, the evidence shows that she currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison at this time," Newsom concluded.

Krenwinkel’s attorney, Keith Wattley, disputed the governor’s findings and called for her release.

"Patricia Krenwinkel is the longest-incarcerated woman in the United States," Wattley said in a statement. "For more than five decades, she has committed to deep healing and rehabilitation, earning degrees, counseling others and becoming a mentor to younger women inside."

From left: Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten walk to court to appear for their roles in the 1969 killings. (George Brich/ AP)

He argued that under California law, parole must be granted when a person no longer poses "an unreasonable risk to public safety."

"Patricia’s record meets that standard. She deserves to be paroled," Wattley said, adding that her transformation from "the lost 19-year-old who sought guidance from Charles Manson" to "a compassionate mentor" demonstrates the purpose of the state’s parole system.

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Advocates also emphasize that Krenwinkel qualifies under youth offender parole, elderly parole and domestic violence survivor parole provisions — laws designed to recognize offenders who were young, vulnerable or under coercive control at the time of their crimes.

The parole board finalized its most recent decision on Sept. 27. Newsom had until Oct. 27 to either affirm the release, block it or refer the case for an en banc review. With the reversal now in effect, Krenwinkel remains incarcerated at the California Institution for Women.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to [email protected].