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Loren Herzog and Wesley Shermantine, known as the "Speed Freak Killers," carried out a series of violent crimes in California between 1984 and 1999. Fueled by methamphetamine, their spree included kidnappings, assaults, and multiple homicides. Arrested in March 1999, they quickly turned on each other during interrogations, detailing years of criminal activity.
The Evil Lives Here episode My First Love Hunted People explores their history and eventual capture. Initially, Shermantine denied involvement but later implicated Herzog, who, in turn, labeled Shermantine a serial killer. In 2001, Shermantine was sentenced to death, while Herzog received 78 years. However, his conviction was overturned in 2004, leading to his parole in 2010. In 2012, after Shermantine disclosed burial sites linked to their crimes, Herzog died by suicide, as per ABC10, May 23, 2024.
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As of May 2024, Shermantine was transferred from San Quentin to California State Prison, Sacramento. Despite efforts to locate additional victims, authorities believe Loren Herzog and Shermantine’s true victim count remains unknown, as reported in ThoughtCo on February 27, 2019.
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Loren Herzog and Wesley Shermantine suspected of killing up to 72 people in San Joaquin County
Loren Herzog and Wesley Shermantine grew up in Linden, California, a small farming town where they formed a close friendship from an early age. Shermantine, the son of a successful contractor, enjoyed a privileged upbringing, while Herzog came from a more modest background. Their bond strengthened over shared interests in hunting, fishing, and later, heavy drug use, as per ThoughtCo.
By the mid-1980s, their drug use escalated into methamphetamine addiction, and investigators later linked them to a string of murders spanning over 15 years. Law enforcement now believes their crimes were not random but targeted, often involving acquaintances or individuals they lured under the guise of social interactions, as per All That's Interesting on May 12, 2022.
Their suspected killing spree gained attention after the 1985 disappearance of 16-year-old Chevelle "Chevy" Wheeler, who had skipped school to meet them in Stockton, California. Her case remained unsolved for over a decade until authorities connected it to Herzog and Shermantine in the late 1990s. Similarly, in November 1998, Cyndi Vanderheiden was last seen at a bar in Linden before disappearing, intensifying scrutiny of the two men, as per All That's Interesting.
In March 1999, during the investigation into Vanderheiden’s disappearance, Shermantine’s car was seized, and forensic analysis revealed traces of her blood inside. Authorities then brought Loren Herzog in for questioning. During a 17-hour interrogation, Herzog implicated Shermantine in multiple murders, claiming he had witnessed but not participated in the killings.
As reported by ABC10 on May 23, 2024, John Vanderheiden, father of Cyndi Vanderheiden, talked about the night of her disappearance. He stated:
"She didn't come home that night. I said, 'Well, man, she must have went to work' because she had a new job."
Herzog alleged that Shermantine was responsible for the 1984 murders of Howard King and Paul Cavanaugh, as well as the 1994 killing of a hunter in Utah, Henry Howell. He also detailed the deaths of Wheeler and Vanderheiden, as per ThoughtCo.
Despite Loren Herzog’s claims of non-involvement, both men were charged with multiple counts of murder in 1999. In 2001, Shermantine was convicted of four first-degree murders and sentenced to death. Herzog, initially sentenced to 78 years for three murders, successfully appealed his conviction in 2004, arguing that his confession had been coerced. He later accepted a plea deal that reduced his sentence to 14 years, and in 2010, he was granted parole under strict conditions, as reported by ABC10, on May 23, 2024.
However, Loren Herzog’s time outside prison did not last long. In December 2011, Wesley Shermantine, still on death row, agreed to reveal the burial sites of their victims. He claimed these locations were "Herzog’s party spots" and insisted he was not responsible for the killings. This came after bounty hunter Leonard Padilla offered him $33,000 for the information. Days later, on January 17, 2012, Herzog was found dead in his trailer. Authorities reportedly ruled his death a suicide.
Shortly after, Shermantine provided maps that led authorities to burial sites in San Joaquin County. Investigators uncovered human remains, including those of Wheeler and Vanderheiden. In one location, an abandoned well, they found over 1,000 bone fragments. These discoveries reinforced suspicions that Loren Herzog and Shermantine had far more victims than originally known, as per All That's Interesting, May 12, 2022.
As of May 2024, Shermantine remains on death row. However, he has been transferred from San Quentin to California State Prison, Sacramento, as part of a state plan to phase out death row housing. Despite ongoing appeals, no execution date has been set, as per ABC10. Investigators still believe there are more undiscovered victims connected to Loren Herzog and Shermantine’s crimes.
Stay tuned for more updates.
