New Legislation Allows Speed Freak Killer Off Death Row Temporarily

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - New legislation will allow killer Wesley Shermantine to be let off death row just long enough to help find more remains.

The pain never goes away for Marie Gillit.

Her father, Phil Martin disappeared almost 20 years ago.

Martin worked construction alongside speed freak killers Shermantine and Loren Herzog, who killed himself earlier this year.

Marie believes the two murdered her father.

Now she's hoping the proposed law will uncover the mystery behind her dad's disappearance.

"I feel like this will actually help find more people," said Gillit.

"I wanted to make it explicitly clear that it is the will of the legislature that we put families first," said Assemblymember Cathleen Galgiani.

Galgiani has been close to this case and the murder victims' families for years.

"This has been a torturous process," said Galgiani.

Recently, the death row inmate wrote letters and drew maps leading investigators to three different burial sites.

The remains of five victims have been recovered. Cyndi Vanderheiden and Chevy Wheeler, are among those recovered.

However, the convicted killer has hinted that there are more sites and dozens of other victims. Galgiani wants Shermantine transported to help point out those locations.

"I think the department of corrections might have been nervous because of the sensitivity of the case. I want them to understand that the legislature, as a whole, has the will and the desire do what's necessary," said Galgiani.

But as law enforcement waits to transport Shermantine, it only adds to Gillit's pain, who just wants her father back.

"That he can rest in peace and that we can have him back where he belongs with us," said Gillit.

Now this proposed law goes to the governor for his signature.

According to Galgiani, it will cost just a few thousand dollars to transport Shermantine, but many families are just wondering if it will ever happen.