Tonight on Unsolved they profiled the case of the two Swedish hitchhikers who were murdered in 1983. I remember watching this when it first aired, and it really made me angry. I was grateful to see a partial update on the case this evening. Can anyone post more information? Has someone been indicted for these killings?

I would look myself, but I can't remember the names of the murder victims. I'd appreciate any help. This case has always bugged me.

Yes I thought I saw that this story was solved on one of those A&E or CourtTV shows but I'm not sure. I searched the internet, but the only thing I found was a Santa Barbara website about unsolved murders and it still had them listed as that (I don't know what year it was).

Their names are Marie Lilienburg & Maria Wahlen. Their bodies were found on 8-18-83 near Santa Barbara. Hope this helps and let us know if you find out anymore about it!

Thanks for your help.

I thought is was really strange how pictures of the two girls were taken right before they disappeared. Very weird how those things happen. Was the camera found and the film was developed after their disapperance or were the pictures found? Such a sad story.

Yes, actually I remember them showing someone found a bunch of their belongings in a dumpster and also in the dumpster were some undeveloped rolls of film. Creepy!

In my opinion, Loren Herzog and Wesley Shermantine are the men that murdered the Swedish hitchhikers Marie Lilienberg and Marie Wahlen in 1983. The “Speed Freak Killers” lived outside of Stockton – a direct line to Interstate 5 – and a likely place for hitchhikers to pick up a ride to LA or SF. The decomposing bodies of Lilienberg and Wahlen were found decapitated and discarded on SR166. Herzog and Shermantine, teenagers, most likely mapped the route from 1-5 to SR166 to US101 to City of Commerce where the Swedish women’s belongings were found in a dumpster. Then, after having dispensed with the bodies and belongings, returned to Linden CA on I-5. Another probability is a truck with a camper-shell can give the impression of a van, and addicts often look like they have protruding watery eyes. As the Speed Freak Killers aged (Herzog married with children) they may have become complacent. With the advancements in Forensic Science and Crime Scene Technology from 1983 to 1998, I believe these serial killers were finally convicted and incarcerated for the homicides of young Caucasian females.

In my opinion, Loren Herzog and Wesley Shermantine are the men that murdered the Swedish hitchhikers Marie Lilienberg and Marie Wahlen in 1983. The “Speed Freak Killers” lived outside of Stockton – a direct line to Interstate 5 – and a likely place for hitchhikers to pick up a ride to LA or SF. The decomposing bodies of Lilienberg and Wahlen were found decapitated and discarded on SR166. Herzog and Shermantine, teenagers, most likely mapped the route from 1-5 to SR166 to US101 to City of Commerce where the Swedish women’s belongings were found in a dumpster. Then, after having dispensed with the bodies and belongings, returned to Linden CA on I-5. Another probability is a truck with a camper-shell can give the impression of a van, and addicts often look like they have protruding watery eyes. As the Speed Freak Killers aged (Herzog married with children) they may have become complacent. With the advancements in Forensic Science and Crime Scene Technology from 1983 to 1998, I believe these serial killers were finally convicted and incarcerated for the homicides of young Caucasian females.



Excuse me, you 'BELIEVE' the killer for the Swedish Hitchikers were finally convicted and imprisoned ?

Can I know what is your rationale behind such a belief ?


Well, to dash your beliefs then, to know that 'Loren' was never charged in the murders of Marie Lilienberg and Maria Wahlen because the authorities simply because the authorities had insufficient evidence to put a case on him.



This case remains officially UNSOLVED.

She does not say they were convicted for the two swedish hitchhikers, just that they were convicted for other young white females, and they were convicted.

In 1999, they were convicted of raping and killing Cyndi Vanderheiden and two other people. On tape, Herzog confessed to luring Cyndi to a cemetery under the auspices of giving her meth. That's where Shermantine attacked her. They threw her body in the trunk and Shermantine dumped her in an undisclosed location. Cyndi's remains have never been found.

Herzog was given 78 years. Shermantine was sentenced to death.

'Speed-Freak Killer' Herzog apparently hangs self

A once-convicted serial killer who was the target of court battles and protests over where he should live on parole appears to have committed suicide in his government-issued trailer just outside the walls of the High Desert State prison in remote northeast California.

State and local officials said Tuesday that Loren Herzog — dubbed along with his childhood friend Wesley Shermantine as the "Speed Freak Killers" — was found hanging in the trailer shortly before midnight Monday. Prison officials were checking on Herzog after his parole agent received a notification that the batteries in the parolee's ankle bracelet were running low.

The Lassen County Sheriff's Department said it appears that Herzog died by hanging himself, but that a full investigation would be conducted before a final determination is made. He was 46.

Herzog was in the middle of a fierce debate over his residence and the target of a lawsuit filed by city of Susanville officials that sought his removal from prison property in their town.

Herzog was at the beginning of a 78-year prison sentence for three murder convictions when an appeals court in 2004 ruled investigators illegally coerced his confession.

Without the confession, prosecutors said they were left little evidence and had no choice but to offer Herzog a deal to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter for the killing of Cyndi Vanderheiden, 25. His 78-year prison sentence was reduced to 14 years and he was released on parole in September 2010 after serving 11 years.

With credit for time served dating back to his 1999 arrest and time off for good behavior, the prison system was unable to hold him longer despite calls for his continued incarceration.

Cyndi Vanderheiden's father said he wants to view the body to make sure it's Herzog's.

"He's a coward and cowards don't kill themselves," John Vanderheiden said. "If it is him, then good. He should have died a long time ago."

Cyndi Vanderheiden's body has never been found and Herzog always maintained that his partner in crime, Shermantine, disposed of her alone. The girl's father doesn't believe Herzog and said that was his only regret upon hearing of Herzog's apparent suicide.

"Now we're down to only one creep who knows where she is," said John Vanderheiden, who lives in Clements.

Herzog and Shermantine were dubbed the Speed Freak Killers when they were arrested in 1999 for Vanderheiden's murder and several others. The two were accused of terrorizing San Joaquin County for 15 years by going on methamphetamine-fueled killing sprees. Shermantine is on California's Death Row after being convicted of four murders. Investigators say Shermantine could be responsible for as many as 15 more killings.

Shermantine and Herzog were each initially convicted of several first-degree murder charges, including the rape and murder of Vanderheiden in 1998.

The two lured her to a cemetery with the promise of methamphetamine. Herzog testified that he hid in the back seat of Shermantine's car while his friend attacked Vanderheiden. Herzog also testified that he helped load the body in the trunk, but then testified that he doesn't know what Shermantine did after that.

Before Herzog's release in 2010, family members of his alleged victims and influential San Joaquin County politicians persuaded California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials to parole Herzog far from the Central Valley region, where the murders occurred.

CDCR's decision to locate him in Lassen County set off a furor there that culminated with the city of Susanville filing a lawsuit alleging prison officials were wrong to make Herzog live there. A Lassen County judge agreed late last year and ordered prison officials to remove Herzog. He remained living in a trailer on the prison grounds in Susanville while CDCR appealed the judge's ruling.

He was married with three children when he was paroled.




It's hard what to make of this all with the new twist, but if this is the same Loren, then he is dead. Also I can't post the link since I got under 5 posts.

It's hard what to make of this all with the new twist, but if this is the same Loren, then he is dead. Also I can't post the link since I got under 5 posts.

Yeah, I read this and wondered if it was the same Loren. I wouldn't be surprised. It's sad they could never officially tie these two guys to the Swedish murders despite the tip. It's a shame these two women have never had any justice. At least we know that Herzog can't hurt anyone else. Despite his conviction he only served 11 years.

Update February 2012:
From San Quentin death row Wesley Shermantine gave clues and a map that lead to a search for long-lost murder victims. San Joaquin Sheriff's Office heading up the search for human remains dredged from an old well in Linden, CA and unearthed 1,000 bone fragments in a mass grave Shermantine calls "Herzog's Boneyard". Herzog committed suicide in January 2012 after learning his partner in crime was planning to reveal the locations of these serial killers victims. The killings spanned two decades-80's and 90's-and two states, California and Utah. I believe Marie Wahlen and Marie Lilienberg fell victim to the "Speed Freak Killers" in the 1980's. Likely the young women hitch-hikers were a few of the first on a long drug induced killing spree. Because the bodies were found, the killers began dumping the other victims in wells on rural properties where they were less likely to be found by hunters.

wow thats why you dont wanna do speed

In my opinion, Loren Herzog and Wesley Shermantine are the men that murdered the Swedish hitchhikers Marie Lilienberg and Marie Wahlen in 1983. The “Speed Freak Killers” lived outside of Stockton – a direct line to Interstate 5 – and a likely place for hitchhikers to pick up a ride to LA or SF. The decomposing bodies of Lilienberg and Wahlen were found decapitated and discarded on SR166. Herzog and Shermantine, teenagers, most likely mapped the route from 1-5 to SR166 to US101 to City of Commerce where the Swedish women’s belongings were found in a dumpster. Then, after having dispensed with the bodies and belongings, returned to Linden CA on I-5. Another probability is a truck with a camper-shell can give the impression of a van, and addicts often look like they have protruding watery eyes. As the Speed Freak Killers aged (Herzog married with children) they may have become complacent. With the advancements in Forensic Science and Crime Scene Technology from 1983 to 1998, I believe these serial killers were finally convicted and incarcerated for the homicides of young Caucasian females.

They had been decapitated? I didn't know that, how horrific! This Case always stood out for me for some reason. Finding the undeveloped film cartridges with their other belongings AFTER they went missing and the photos UM showed were creepy.

The music is also as eerie as it gets and this is a
Tough segment to watch for me. Did spike feature this case? And what music would/did they play to open the scene.

Yes, actually I remember them showing someone found a bunch of their belongings in a dumpster and also in the dumpster were some undeveloped rolls of film. Creepy!

Same deal as with the Yosemite murders, committed by Cary Stayner, whose brother Stephen turned up alive seven years after being kidnapped. Although the car was burned, somehow some undeveloped film survived and the pictures showed the woman and two girls having a good time, much like the Swedish hitchhikers, unwitting of the fate which would all too soon befall them. Of the hitchhikers case I always remember it being said they came from a much more "homogenous" society, where even total strangers were likely to be pretty similar to people you knew well. Somewhat as America was perceived previous to the late 1970s, or even the late 1960s considering how the drug culture was already changing things. A lot of young kids who started out to meet up with the "summer of love" in San Francisco in 1967 were simply never heard from again. :crying:

Only a few years ago a young couple, not from Sweden, but Denmark or Holland or some such country, went to a café in New York and parked their baby outside in its carriage or stroller--where they could see it through the window but didn't have it right next to them. Several helpful New Yorkers told them they shouldn't do such a thing. When they did nothing about it, the police were called. The couple couldn't see what the big deal was about, saying this was done in their country all the time.

Same deal as with the Yosemite murders, committed by Cary Stayner, whose brother Stephen turned up alive seven years after being kidnapped. Although the car was burned, somehow some undeveloped film survived and the pictures showed the woman and two girls having a good time, much like the Swedish hitchhikers, unwitting of the fate which would all too soon befall them. Of the hitchhikers case I always remember it being said they came from a much more "homogenous" society, where even total strangers were likely to be pretty similar to people you knew well. Somewhat as America was perceived previous to the late 1970s, or even the late 1960s considering how the drug culture was already changing things. A lot of young kids who started out to meet up with the "summer of love" in San Francisco in 1967 were simply never heard from again. :crying:

Only a few years ago a young couple, not from Sweden, but Denmark or Holland or some such country, went to a café in New York and parked their baby outside in its carriage or stroller--where they could see it through the window but didn't have it right next to them. Several helpful New Yorkers told them they shouldn't do such a thing. When they did nothing about it, the police were called. The couple couldn't see what the big deal was about, saying this was done in their country all the time.
Its a scary place out there and this segment shows that. I came from a small town in texas and lived some on a ranch with my dad's mom where you did not have these problems. you knew everyone and if you did not well you had guns lol, but you still trusted people. then at age 6 I moved to Houston with my mom's mom. she lived in an apartment complex that had a lot of drug dealing going on. her car even got stolen and they ruined my led zep tapes. anyway my point is I started watching UM the same year I lived in Houston. It was a rude awakening and a culture shock coming from a small town where I felt secure. Although I did not see this particular segment until later, watching segments like this one made me not trust anyone. In fact I swore off a couple of states based on the program. later after my UM hiatus I realized I just should not of been watching at that age.

I read from the top and this is a rather intersting thread. a couple of like one time posters. I'm glad this was semi-solved don't know about the justice served, but usually a person that does this gets what is coming to them in the end. IIRC they had some good leads on this case that UM didn't really specify. I recently saw a joni Mitchell interview when she was discussing her inspiration behind writing "California" and she mentioned that shortly after that time period passed(of innocence and beauty) it became a place of horrors. in fact so much so that she would have never written the song a few years later.

Regarding the hitchhiking thing--my dad grew up before and during the Depression. His family was the first in the neighborhood to own an automobile, before the Depression hit. He was used to not everyone owning cars and routinely picking up people who seemed in need of a ride. This continued until the 1950s when he picked up two suspicious characters. Once they started eyeing each other like, "Shall we jump him now?" Dad began driving about 100 m.p.h. until his passengers begged to be let out, and never picked up anyone he didn't know again. One of his oft-repeated admonishments was, "Never hitchhike and never pick up a hitchhiker."

Also look at Hitchbot which hitchhiked for years all over the world. Didn't last a week once it hit Philadelphia.

Regarding the hitchhiking thing--my dad grew up before and during the Depression. His family was the first in the neighborhood to own an automobile, before the Depression hit. He was used to not everyone owning cars and routinely picking up people who seemed in need of a ride. This continued until the 1950s when he picked up two suspicious characters. Once they started eyeing each other like, "Shall we jump him now?" Dad began driving about 100 m.p.h. until his passengers begged to be let out, and never picked up anyone he didn't know again. One of his oft-repeated admonishments was, "Never hitchhike and never pick up a hitchhiker."

Also look at Hitchbot which hitchhiked for years all over the world. Didn't last a week once it hit Philadelphia.
Yeah the other hitchhiking segment in UM didn't end well either. That was only three states over.

I always and still do think the Swedish hitchhikers were killed by the East Area Rapist-ONS. It was right smack dab in the middle of his reign of terror and they were in the areas where this guy was

I always and still do think the Swedish hitchhikers were killed by the East Area Rapist-ONS. It was right smack dab in the middle of his reign of terror and they were in the areas where this guy was

The hitchhikers were murdered in 1983. ONS/EAR had only one victim post 1981, the tragic murder of Janelle Cruz in 1986, which was probably an outlier. Plus, it doesn't at all fit his m.o. I highly doubt it was him.

The two Swedish girls were decapitated?? I never knew that ever!!!

I never knew they were decapitated either? Yikes!

I wonder if the Santa Barbara police have yet to tie both of their murders to Loren Herzog? It was speculated that he was their killer some time ago but no hard evidence to link Loren to the crime at the time this theory came out. If he did kill them, then he took that to his grave, unless he told his killing spree partner Wesley Shermantine about it. I'm sure they told each other every person they killed between them, or at least that's what I hope, so police can push for Wesley to confess to more murders and help find more bodies. A lot of people still think Loren abducted and murdered Michaela Garecht, but among the remains police were lead to, hers were not apart of them. I feel that it was Loren Herzog who killed Maria Wahlen, Marie Lilienberg, Michaela Garecht and probably some other young girls and women that UM profiled. Loren looks exactly like the composite drawing in the Garecht abduction, but they are going to need hard evidence to tie him to it.

The two Swedish girls were decapitated?? I never knew that ever!!!

Hey Judyhymesisalive is that quote at the bottom of all of your posts from the 2004 movie Mean Girls? lol :lol:

Hey Judyhymesisalive is that quote at the bottom of all of your posts from the 2004 movie Mean Girls? lol :lol:
Yeah it is! Love that film!

[QUOTE=XiaoGouPi]Excuse me, you 'BELIEVE' the killer for the Swedish Hitchikers were finally convicted and imprisoned ?

Regardless of who is right or wrong here, it is extremely impolite and condescending to take someone's words and throw them back at the person like that, as if they're somehow wrong for saying them in the first place.

I always and still do think the Swedish hitchhikers were killed by the East Area Rapist-ONS. It was right smack dab in the middle of his reign of terror and they were in the areas where this guy was

Oh wow. The East Area Rapist was my thought as well. I just saw the 48 hrs segment about him that featured the work done by Patton Oswald's late wife on him. Though it could be the speed freak killers. Did the guy on death row ever actually confess to it?

The other person I thought of may be a bit off. I'm not sure of the dates when he was active. William Richard Bradford. East Area Rapist seems the most likely suspect. I am not sure why I am thinking of William Richard Bradford, but perhaps it was because the women were so photogenic and he was a professional photographer. I don't think he was ever that far south as Santa Barbara, but I'm not sure. They found a big cache of photos that he had taken with pictures of women that the authorities thought might have been raped/murdered by him. I don't know if any other missing cases have since been attributed to him. I think they have never been able to identify some of those women in the photos.

I remember when the segment on the Swedish hitchhikers first aired. It has always haunted me, but I couldn't remember where I had seen it. It is so sad. When I saw it, it totally put me off the idea of EVER hitchhiking.

I hope they get justice one of these days.
p.s. I know this thread is a couple of years old, but I've been wondering about it for years. I just couldn't remember which show aired it. Would appreciate it if anyone has heard an update on it.

Just watched the Swedish hitchhikers segment (S04). Sad. Some of the possibilities (re: those who committed the crime) sound plausible, but the authorities also don't appear to have enough evidence to convict anyone.

You would think that by 1983, these two young women would have known it wasn't safe to hitch-hike in the U.S. I was a kid at that time & even I knew that. However, as was mentioned in the segment - these two women were from a very homogeneous country where crimes (like the ones committed against them) were not common. In any case, they seemed very naive.

Just watched the Swedish hitchhikers segment (S04). Sad. Some of the possibilities (re: those who committed the crime) sound plausible, but the authorities also don't appear to have enough evidence to convict anyone.

You would think that in 1983, these two young women would have known it wasn't safe to hitch-hike in the U.S. I was a kid at that time & even I knew that. However, as was mentioned in the segment - these two women were from a very homogeneous country where crimes (like the ones committed against them) were not common. In any case, they seemed very naive.

Sweden is not homogeneous like it used to be!

Just watched the Swedish hitchhikers segment (S04). Sad. Some of the possibilities (re: those who committed the crime) sound plausible, but the authorities also don't appear to have enough evidence to convict anyone.

You would think that in 1983, these two young women would have known it wasn't safe to hitch-hike in the U.S. I was a kid at that time & even I knew that. However, as was mentioned in the segment - these two women were from a very homogeneous country where crimes (like the ones committed against them) were not common. In any case, they seemed very naive.

The hubris of youth. I think that people are wiser to the idea nowadays, but back then, people still did it

You would think that in 1983, these two young women would have known it wasn't safe to hitch-hike in the U.S. I was a kid at that time & even I knew that. However, as was mentioned in the segment - these two women were from a very homogeneous country where crimes (like the ones committed against them) were not common. In any case, they seemed very naive.

In the early 80's, the dangers of hitchhiking were well known but far too many Americans continued to do it anyway. So while those two girls had been warned by both Swedish and American friends that it was dangerous, I don't think it was taboo enough yet to the point where it was completely out of the question for them.

If these girls had done their touring of the California coast in 1993 as opposed to 1983, I would imagine that hitchhiking wouldn't have even entered their mindset.

In my opinion, Loren Herzog and Wesley Shermantine are the men that murdered the Swedish hitchhikers Marie Lilienberg and Marie Wahlen in 1983. The “Speed Freak Killers” lived outside of Stockton – a direct line to Interstate 5 – and a likely place for hitchhikers to pick up a ride to LA or SF. The decomposing bodies of Lilienberg and Wahlen were found decapitated and discarded on SR166. Herzog and Shermantine, teenagers, most likely mapped the route from 1-5 to SR166 to US101 to City of Commerce where the Swedish women’s belongings were found in a dumpster. Then, after having dispensed with the bodies and belongings, returned to Linden CA on I-5. Another probability is a truck with a camper-shell can give the impression of a van, and addicts often look like they have protruding watery eyes. As the Speed Freak Killers aged (Herzog married with children) they may have become complacent. With the advancements in Forensic Science and Crime Scene Technology from 1983 to 1998, I believe these serial killers were finally convicted and incarcerated for the homicides of young Caucasian females.
Unless you're privy to some information never released by law enforcement, the two slain Swedes were not decapitated. In none of the news coverage from the time was decapitation ever mentioned.