Bounty hunter touts endorsement from serial killer in race for Sacramento mayor

Shown here is bounty hunter and Sacramento mayoral candidate Leonard Padilla. (FOX40)

A California bounty hunter running for Sacramento mayor is touting his endorsement from a convicted serial killer.

Leonard Padilla told FOX 40 in Sacramento he's got fresh campaign backing from death row inmate Wesley Shermantine, one of the so-called "Speed Freak Killers" tied to the murders of as many as 15 people dating back to the 1980s.

The support of a killer didn't seem to bother the candidate.

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"When you have a guy on death row endorsing you, you have to be somewhat proud of that," he said.

Padilla said he's not expecting a political "backlash" from the endorsement, since he's been "giving up bodies" while in prison. He also reasoned that there's no quid pro quo with a death row inmate.

"If I go out here to the unions, if I go to the firemen and ask for their endorsement, they are going to want something in return. This man can't ask for anything in return," Padilla told FOX 40.

Padilla faces a field of candidates for the seat, including incumbent Mayor Kevin Johnson.

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