Shermantine Victim's Family Flies 2,500 Miles To Claim Daughter's Remains

STOCKTON (CBS13) - A family flew across the country to reclaim the remains of their daughter more than a quarter century after one of the "Speed Freak Killers" murdered her.

Chevy Wheeler's family moved away from the area more than seven years ago. They say they couldn't take all the reminders and the heartache that went along with what happened after their daughter disappeared decades ago.

Tuesday night, they came back for the first time, and they're ready to bring their daughter home.

"Relief, relief to finally get her back," Paula Wheeler told CBS13's Laura Cole.

Paula and Ray wheeler flew 2,500 hundred miles "to get my daughter back," Paul said.

Chevy disappeared in 1985 after skipping school to hang out with Wesley Shermantine.

More than a decade later, a jury convicted him of her murder.

"It just ate me up body and soul," Ray said.

Since then, Shermantine has been sitting on death row at San Quentin State Prison, and he just recently started to reveal secret burial sites. Earlier this month, Shermantine's own map led investigators to Chevy's remains in Calaveras County on former Shermantine family property.

"We never thought we'd get her back," Paula said. "He told us we would never get her back."

"it is a happy moment because we are going to be able to take her home," Ray said.

They've got a special spot in their home for her.

"On the mantle," Ray said. "It's waiting for her."

And while getting Chevy back brings some closure, they say they're still waiting for the ultimate justice.

"I need for that man to die and I'm serious," Ray said of Shermantine. "He's a menace to society."

But for the next few days, they're not focusing on the killer. They'll be remembering the sweet 16-year-old who had a way of making everyone fall in love with her.

"We still miss her like the day she was born, but we're going to take her home and rejoice having her after all these years," Ray said.

There will be a memorial service for Chevy on Thursday in Lodi. After that, Paula and Ray fly home this weekend and bring their daughter back with them.