Slaying Of Tushar Atre: New Video Released, $200K Reward

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office has released new details about the murder of Santa Cruz County resident and businessman Tushar Atre, 50, who was kidnapped in the early morning hours of Oct. 1 from his oceanfront Pleasure Point home and killed in a suspected robbery-gone-wrong. Members of the public have increased a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect to $200,000 from $150,000.

The sheriff's office has already released videos showing three people approaching Atre's home, carrying a rifle and duffle bag. His body was found around 10 a.m. that same day after deputies went to the 24000 block of Soquel San Jose Road near the Summit and discovered his BMW SUV. He died from a gunshot wound, according to the San Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner's Office.

Now the sheriff's office is releasing a new surveillance photo that shows a person bike up to Atre's home three hours before the kidnapping, stop to observe the house, and bike away.

Watch the videos here.

It's also releasing the path that investigators believe kidnappers took, starting in the 3000 block of Pleasure Point Drive, turning left onto East Cliff Drive, turning left on 41st Avenue, turning right onto Soquel Drive and left on Soquel San Jose Road.

Atre was the owner of Atrenet, a corporate website development company that has "been serving the web design and development needs of many of the most innovative and successful high tech companies in Silicon Valley since 1996," according to his LinkedIn account.

The sheriff's office asks anyone who may have been traveling on the suspected route from 3 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 1 or has any information about the case to contact Sgt. Daniel Robbins at daniel.robbins@santacruzcounty.us or 831-454-7635. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous may contact 831-454-7631.