Law enforcementDebate in California over reward money for killer’s finders

Published 29 March 2013

Several donors in California have pulled back their portion of a $1 million reward which was offered for information leading to the capture and conviction of Christopher Dorner, who went on a 10-day shooting spree and killed four people, including Riverside police officer Michael Crain, earlier this year. The donors who pulled back their pledges say the criterion for the reward has not been met because Dorner killed himself. Those donors who have decided to pay up say it would be disingenuous not to honor the reward pledge.

Several donors in California have pulled back their portion of a $1 million reward which was offered for information leading to the capture and conviction of Christopher Dorner, who went on a 10-day shooting spree and killed four people, including Riverside police officer Michael Crain, earlier this year.

USA Todayreports that while Dorner was evading the police during his rampage, the city of Riverside pledged $100,000 in reward money for any information which would lead to his conviction and arrest.

Dorner, who was a Los Angeles police officer, used embarked on his shooting spree to take  revenge for his dismissal from the force, according to his manifesto. He killed himself when he realized police officers were closing in on the cabin he was hiding in near Big Bear Mountain.

The reward money was claimed by a couple who were tied up and had their car stolen by Dorner. A separate claim was put in by another man who had his pickup hijacked by Dorner.

According to a spokesperson for the Riverside City Council, the criteria for receiving the $100,000 reward money were not met because Dorner was already dead by the time the police entered the cabin.

“Thank you for making the phone calls, for your part in bringing Chris Dorner to an end. Unfortunately, it wasn’t through the justice system, and that’s what our precedence has created, and our process and resolution provided for,” Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey told KABC-TV.

Another reward, by Riverside County, which had twenty-seven groups pledging the reward money, is still pending.

Another pledge made by the Peace Officers Research Association of California, was  put on hold. Ron Cottingham, the president of the union, told the Press-Enterprise that several donor groups are withdrawing their pledges.

The Los Angeles Police Department, however, will pay its share of the $1 million reward money, according to a Los Angeles Times.

LAPD Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese said it “would be disingenuous” to take the money back because the suspect died before he could be brought to justice. According to Albanese, taking the money could also keep people from helping in the future.

The city of Irvine, where a former LAPD captain’s daughter and her fiancé were killed by Dorner, said on Tuesday it would keep its pledge of $100,000, KNBC reported.