Family Of Serial Killers' Victim Sues San Joaquin County Sheriff Over Damaged Remains
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY (CBS13) - A family of one of the victims of the "Speed Freak Killers" has filed a lawsuit against San Joaquin County and Sheriff Steve Moore, alleging the remains of their loved one were desecrated and destroyed by the actions of the sheriff's department.
The federal lawsuit was filed Tuesday by Joann Hobson's family, and it blames the sheriff for how Joann Hobson's remains were handled. Family members hope that through the lawsuit, they'll learn exactly who made the decision and why heavy equipment was used to dig up their loved one.
"At the end of the day, this is about Joann, my child," said Joan Shelley, Joann's mother.
It's been one year since Joan saw the remains of her daughter being ripped from the ground with backhoes.
"What I saw on TV and the way she was brought up…is what put me in a dark place," said Joan.
The family sent Joann's remains to the Chico Human Identification Lab where experts determined Joann's remains were incomplete and commingled with others' remains.
The lawsuit alleges the remains were "chewed up, pulverized, destroyed, crushed, and commingled with other unknown murder victims."
"It was heart-wrentchingly painful," said Michelle Loftis, Joann's sister. "It was pain in my heart to see a bone laying in the dirt."
The family wants answers, they want transparency, but most of all, they want Joann's complete remains.
"We want to get every piece of my sister back. I want all my sister back. I would love to have her and be able to put her to peace," said Loftis.
The family says they won't be able to grieve until Sheriff Moore is held accountable.
"I will see him in court, period," said Joan.
"When all this is said and done and people have to answer for the wrongs they've done, then she'll finally be able to have peace within herself and within her family," said Sandra Hoyopatubbi, Joann's sister.
CBS13 contacted the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department for a comment, but they say they are not aware of the lawsuit so commenting on it would be inappropriate.
