04/23/2007 GAAS:309:07 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Print Version |
Governor Schwarzenegger Offers Rewards for Information in Seven Unsolved Murder Cases
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued seven rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction in a California court of the person or persons responsible for each of the following murder cases in California, all of which remain unsolved.
The following is a brief description of each crime and the reward amount offered:
- On April 8, 2003, 20-year-old Kristin Appice and 24-year-old Alonzo Jackson were shot to death while walking down a street in Hayward. The Governor is offering a reward in the amount of $50,000.
- On May 13, 2006, 72-year-old Enrique Bermudez was beaten to death in a Colton restaurant. The killers have been identified by law enforcement as Omar and Jonathan Ramirez; their whereabouts, however, are unknown. The Governor is offering a reward in the amount of $25,000.
- On October 1, 2006, 91-year-old William Chapman and his 81-year-old wife, Lena Chapman, were murdered in their Merced home. The suspect or suspects set their home on fire before fleeing the scene. The Governor is offering a reward in the amount of $50,000.
- On January 4, 2006, 24-year-old Andre Laurent was shot to death in front of a gas station in Pomona. The suspects were seen fleeing the scene in their vehicle. The Governor is offering a reward in the amount of $50,000.
- On August 7, 2006, 47-year-old Belen Pacheco's dead body was found near Highway 50 in Sacramento. She was last seen leaving her place of employment on June 27, 2006. The Governor is offering a reward in the amount of $50,000.
- On April 22, 2005, 26-year-old David Pea was shot to death while he was attempting to break up a fight in the parking lot of a restaurant in Irvine. Witnesses have described the perpetrator as a Hispanic male, fleeing the scene in a black SUV. The Governor is offering a reward in the amount of $50,000.
- On November 4, 1994, 16-year-old Jenny Waltz was found murdered in her Fresno home. She had been stabbed to death. The Governor is offering a reward in the amount of $50,000.
In these seven cases, the Governor granted the reward amount requested by each police chief.
Under the Governor's Reward program, 207 rewards have been offered since 1967 and 18 have been paid. The reward process is initiated when the Governor receives a written request from the chief of the law enforcement agency with investigatory jurisdiction over the matter. This request informs the Governor that (1) those responsible for the investigation have pursued all leads and believe, in their independent judgment, that a reward will help them in their efforts;, (2) the crime is one for which a reward may be offered under California law; , and (3) the victims' families support the reward. The Governor's legal affairs unit processes the request and ensures statutory compliance. The Governor makes the final determination regarding the request.
Rewards may be offered for specified crimes under the California Penal Code and are subject to statutory maximums. Rewards do not expire and are only paid if the information leads to the arrest and conviction in a California court of the individual or individuals charged with the crime.
