CBS13 Gets Letter From Speed Freak Killer Wesley Shermantine

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Convicted killer Wesley Shermantine has a lot to say. And he sent a letter from behind bars to CBS13 talking about everything from his friend and fellow killer Loren Herzog, to the current search for the remains of victims, to how he feels about his sister.

Shermantine dated his letter from death row Feb. 14, 2012, and it arrived at the CBS13 studio Friday morning addressed to CBS13's Koula Gianulias.

Shermantine, one of the so-called "Speed Freak Killers," is currently on death row in San Quentin for killing four people in a spree that lasted from 1984 to 1999. However, officials believe he and Herzog are responsible for many more deaths.

With this letter, Shermantine appears to want to set the record straight. He starts by saying "Their (sic) have been nothing but lies. 90% are lies."

The letter also says local bounty hunter Leonard Padilla has yet to make good on his promise to pay Shermantine $33,000 for information on the victims, something Padilla doesn't dispute.

"What is he is saying is 'if I don't get my money, I ain't gonna give up anymore information,'" Padilla said. "I got no problem with that."

Padilla said the problem is where to put the money and that he's trying to set up a trust for it.

The letter comes as the grisly search for victims of Shermantine and Herzog enters its second week and will continue through the three-day holiday weekend.

So far, San Joaquin Sheriff's Department officials and other searchers have found more than 1,000 bone fragments and other items in an old well near Linden.

Cadaver dogs from Santa Clara County were searching the area on Friday for a second well but so far nothing has turned up.

Padilla has said he has a map and information on the second well's location, but sheriff's spokesman Deputy Les Garcia says that if that's true, the information hasn't been shared with sheriff's investigators.

"If they information that's going to help us, they need to turn it over to us," Garcia said. "I keep hearing all this in the background 'Well, I have information on the second well.' Well, give it to us."

Padilla for his part says he's been ignored by investigators.

A Department of Justice official also disputed claims by retired FBI agent Jeff Rinek that the dig was destroying evidence.

"Everything was handled according to proper procedure and we were very careful in what we have done," Jill Spriggs said.