Patricia Krenwinkel granted preliminary parole in Manson murders case

Patricia Krenwinkel, a 78-year-old former follower of Charles Manson, has been preliminarily granted parole following her 18th suitability hearing. Krenwinkel is serving a life sentence for her role in the 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders, which included the killings of actress Sharon Tate and several others.

According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, any parole grant is a proposed decision that requires final approval from both the Board of Parole Hearings and the Governor. This follows previous instances where parole recommendations were made but subsequently overturned by Governor Gavin Newsom. In a prior reversal in October 2025, Newsom noted Krenwinkel’s academic achievements and disciplinary record but concluded she still posed an unreasonable danger to society.