SANTA CRUZ (KPIX 5) — A $25,000 reward was being offered for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects involved in the kidnap-murder of high tech executive Tushar Atre, authorities announced late Wednesday.
The money was put up by donors who wished to remain unanimous and will be available through Nov. 30.
“Several people were involved in this murder and someone out there knows who they are,” Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart stated in a released statement. “That is a terrible secret to keep.”
Atre was kidnapped in the middle of the night on Oct. 1st from his Santa Cruz home during a robbery attempt.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department said its investigation into the kidnap-murder has concluded that the crime was “an isolated incident.” They have also determined that several people entered the home and took the 50-year-old away in his girlfriend’s BMW.
Deputies found the BMW and Atre’s body on Soquel San Jose Road seven hours after he was kidnapped from his Pleasure Point Drive. Investigators said that the property where the discovery was made was also owned by Atre.
The Santa Cruz County Coroner ruled Atre’s death a homicide from a gunshot wound. Investigators have yet to release a description of the suspects who remain at large.
Atre founded and was the CEO of AtreNet, a web marketing and design company.
The long-time Santa Cruz resident also ran a cannabis manufacturing company called Interstitial Systems on Fern Street in Santa Cruz. His friend, Robert Blumberg, said Atre started the company about a year ago.
If you have any information you are asked to call the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Department tip line at (831)454-7631.