THEIR STORY
A life remembered
Wesley Shermantine, one of the two men known as the “Speed Freak Killers,” died on September 17, 2026, at the age of 60. He was pronounced dead while incarcerated at California State Prison, Sacramento, where he was serving a death sentence. Shermantine became widely known for his involvement in a series of murders in California, primarily in and around San Joaquin County, alongside his childhood friend Loren Herzog.
- Shermantine and Herzog were linked to crimes dating from the 1980s through the 1990s.
- The pair became known as the “Speed Freak Killers,” a name associated with their methamphetamine use during their crime spree.
- In 2001, Shermantine was sentenced to death for the murders of Cyndi Vanderheiden, Chevelle “Chevy” Wheeler, Howard King III, and Paul Cavanaugh.
- Investigators suspected that the pair may have been responsible for additional killings beyond those proven in court.
- Shermantine later claimed that he and Herzog were responsible for dozens of murders, though many of those claims were never confirmed.
- In 2012, Shermantine provided authorities with maps showing possible burial locations connected to the crimes.
- Searches based on information he supplied helped investigators locate human remains, including those of Cyndi Vanderheiden and Chevy Wheeler.
- His former accomplice, Loren Herzog, died in 2012.
- Following Shermantine’s death, both men associated with the “Speed Freak Killers” cases are now deceased.
- The official cause of Shermantine’s death had not yet been announced at the time of initial reports.
- Families of victims, including relatives of Cyndi Vanderheiden, publicly responded to news of his death after decades of living with the impact of the crimes.