Reward offered in California tech exec's killing

A $25,000 reward has been offered for information on the death of a California tech executive whose body was discovered weeks ago in an abandoned BMW miles from his beachfront home, police said.

Tushar Atre, the 50-year-old CEO and founder of AtreNet Inc., was abducted “during a crime” at his home on Pleasure Point Drive about 3 a.m. Oct. 1. He was found dead of gunshot wounds hours later inside his girlfriend’s abandoned 2008 BMW in a secluded area of the Santa Cruz mountains – approximately 10 miles away from where he was taken, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office reported at the time.

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The reward money was offered by unidentified private citizens, officials said in a statement late Wednesday.

Investigators have not identified or arrested any suspects.

“Several people were involved in this murder and someone out there knows who they are,” Sheriff Jim Hart said in the release. “That is a terrible secret to keep.” His office previously said the motive for the slaying appeared to be robbery.

Atre founded AtreNet Inc, a web design firm specializing in corporate sites for top Silicon Valley clients, in 1996, according to his Twitter page. He also owned a licensed cannabis manufacturing facility, the city of Santa Cruz told local news station KRON4 earlier in the month.

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The reward applies to any information received before Nov. 30 that leads to the arrest and conviction of the people involved.