The Gruesome Meth-Fueled Murders of the Speed Freak Killers
In the 1980s and '90s, California was haunted by some of its most notorious serial killers, but none left as chilling a legacy as the Speed Freak Killers. Wesley Shermantine and Loren Herzog, fueled by methamphetamine, allegedly murdered as many as 72 people during their 15-year spree of terror. Their crimes went undetected for years, but once discovered, they sent shockwaves through San Joaquin County and beyond. Join us as we explore the horrifying details of their killings, the investigation that followed, and the ongoing search for answers.
The Start of a Murderous Partnership
Wesley Shermantine and Loren Herzog were childhood friends from the small town of Linden, California. Known for their heavy drug use, particularly meth, they were regulars at the Linden Inn, a local bar. Their violent partnership began in 1984 when two men, Howard King and Paul Cavanaugh, were found shot in their car. This marked the start of their 15-year murder spree, which included both men and women, many of whom were taken from the San Joaquin County area.
One of their earliest known victims was 16-year-old Chevelle "Chevy" Wheeler, who disappeared in 1985 after ditching school to meet up with the killers to get high. Her case, like many others, went cold until investigators connected her disappearance to Shermantine and Herzog years later.
A Decade of Violence Uncovered
In 1998, Cyndi Vanderheiden, daughter of the Linden Inn's owner, went missing after being seen with Shermantine and Herzog. Her disappearance, like Wheeler's, sparked widespread concern, but the case only cracked open in 1999 when blood was found in Shermantine's car. This led investigators to arrest the pair, charging them with multiple murders.
Shermantine was convicted of four murders, including the deaths of Wheeler, Vanderheiden, and the 1984 murders of King and Cavanaugh. Herzog, initially convicted of three murders, saw his convictions overturned in 2004 after an appeals court ruled that his confessions had been coerced. He was eventually released on parole in 2010, but two years later, he died by suicide after learning that Shermantine had planned to reveal the location of their victims' remains.
The Horrors of the 'Boneyard'
In 2012, Shermantine, while on death row, provided authorities with a map leading to what he called the "boneyard" — a well in Linden where he and Herzog had hidden their victims. When investigators dug up the site, they discovered over 1,000 human remains, including those of several people who had gone missing during the killers' spree.
Among the remains were the bodies of JoAnn Hobson, who had disappeared in 1985, and Chevelle Wheeler. The scale of the discovery shocked authorities and the public alike, with many suspecting that the total number of victims could be far higher than originally believed.
Controversy Surrounding Death Row and Victims' Families
Wesley Shermantine remains on death row, but his transfer from San Quentin to California State Prison, Sacramento in May 2024, following California Governor Gavin Newsom's moratorium on executions, has sparked outrage among victims' families. Many, like the Vanderheiden and Hobson families, feel that justice is being delayed, as they had hoped Shermantine would eventually face execution.
Governor Newsom's moratorium has halted all executions, citing concerns about the possibility of innocent people being wrongly sentenced to death. However, victims' families argue that Shermantine's guilt is clear, and they feel the decision undermines their quest for closure. For them, the delay in carrying out his sentence prolongs their suffering.
Lingering Unanswered Questions
The Speed Freak Killers left behind a trail of grief, unanswered questions, and a lasting sense of fear. While some victims have been identified, the true extent of their crimes remains a mystery — one that continues to haunt the families of those lost. As the investigation continues and new remains are unearthed, there may yet be answers to the lingering questions surrounding one of California's darkest criminal cases.
References: The history behind the 'Speed Freak Killers' | The Grisly Story Of The 'Speed Freak Killers' Who Terrorized California For Two Decades | 'Speed Freak Killer' to be moved from death row by summer 2024
