Sam Cohen and Andria Borba FOX40 News

5:25 p.m. PST, January 30, 2012
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY—

San Joaquin’s Sheriff says he worries about bringing accused serial killer Wesley Shermantine to his county to look for more burial locations.

During a press conference Monday afternoon, Sheriff Steve Moore says he learned of a plan to bring Shermantine to San Joaquin County two weeks ago. “I had grave concerns should Shermantine be brought out of death row, the chance for escape or suicide by cop was too great,” Moore said.

San Joaquin called Monday’s press conference after conducting a search, and after news that a possible victim of Shermantine, and his “Speed Freak Killers” partner Loren Herzog, had been identified.

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Last week,crews conducted a search for more possible victims in an area described by Shermantine. Shermantine has repeatedly offered to tell officials where several bodies are buried in exchange for payment.

Shermantine’s latest offer for information was sent to the Stockton Record. That letter was forwarded to the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Department and described where to find the body of Cydni Vanderheiden.

Herzog and Shermantine were convicted of killing Vanderheiden, although her body has never been found.

The body of Tracy Melton was found back in 2002, but it was not identified until April 2011. However, Melton’s family was not told about the positive identification until last week.

Melton’s family believes she was a victim of the “Speed Freak Killers”. She disappeared from a Stockton methadone clinic in 1998. Deputies on Monday said Tracy’s body was found at Holt Road and Highway 4, and although they discussed her during the press conference about Shermantine officials stopped short of saying Melton was another one of their victims.

Read Sheriff Moore's statement on Melton's death here.

Herzog killed himself earlier this month in Susanville. Herzog had his conviction overturned, and he pleaded to a lesser charge with less prison time. He was released from prison in 2010.

Shermantine remains on death row at San Quentin.

So far, plans to bring Shermantine to San Joaquin County are on hold.

To read Sheriff Moore's complete statement, click here.