Patricia Krenwinkel

American murderer and a former member of Charles Manson's "Family". During her time with Manson's group, she was known by various aliases such as Big Patty, Yellow, Marnie Reeves and Mary Ann Scott, but to "The Family" she was most commonly known as Katie. Krenwinkel acted as a mother figure to the Family's several children and was seen as an intense and devoted follower of Charles Manson.

Formerly a Sunday School teacher, she was fond of animals. Her folks divorced in 1964. Her directions changed when she joined Manson on 12 September 1967, abandoning her job and car.

She was arrested for possession of drugs on 21 June 1968 and was in and out of jail several times.

On 9 August 1969, Krenwinkel took part in the Manson massacre in Los Angeles in which five people were killed. It was she who stabbed Abigail Folger, who died along with Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Roytek Frykowski and the estate caretaker, Steven Parent.

Krenwinkel was arrested at the Barker Ranch on 10 October 1969 and released into her father's custody. On 1 December 1969, she was arraigned and charged with murder.

The trial began on 24 July 1970, 9:45 AM PDT, Los Angeles. Krenwinkel was found guilty on 25 January 1971 of one count of conspiracy to commit murder and seven counts of first degree murder. On 19 April 1971 she was given the death sentence. Her sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment, and she continued her education in jail with college courses. On 10 July 1981, her fifth parole hearing led to a fifth denial, for "lack of remorse." After her 2017 review, Krenwinkel has been denied parole fourteen times.

Following the 2009 death of fellow Manson gang member, Susan Atkins, Krenwinkel is now the longest-incarcerated female inmate in the California penal system.