Joann Hobson, a 16-year-old girl, disappeared in 1985 and was later identified as one of the victims of the notorious 'Speed Freak Killers,' a serial killer duo consisting of Wesley Shermantine and Loren Herzog. Her remains were discovered inside an abandoned well in Linden, California, along with those of other victims. The killers, known for their methamphetamine-fueled crime spree, were suspected of murdering numerous individuals across San Joaquin County, California.
Shermantine, currently on death row, was convicted of multiple murders, while Herzog, who had initially been convicted, later had his sentence reduced before ultimately committing suicide in 2012. Despite Shermantine's claims that he knew details about Hobson's disappearance and murder, he was never formally convicted for her death. Hobson's mother, Joan Shelley, had long suspected that Shermantine and Herzog were responsible for her daughter's disappearance, but law enforcement initially classified Joann as a runaway.
The discovery of Hobson's remains came nearly 27 years after her disappearance, following Shermantine's hand-drawn maps that led authorities to burial sites. Investigators recovered hundreds of bone fragments from the well, reconstructing remains that belonged to multiple victims. The sheriff's office conducted nuclear DNA testing to confirm Hobson's identity and attempted to determine the exact cause of her death. Her family planned to have her cremated and keep her ashes at home.
The case of Joann Hobson remains a tragic example of the violence inflicted by the Speed Freak Killers, whose crimes spanned decades and left many families searching for answers.
