County Board Approves Rewards in an Effort to Solve Four Murders

The Board of Supervisors approved a $10,000 reward today for information leading to the people who shot a 32-year-old man just steps from his Westmont-area home, and renewed offers of $10,000 for information in three other unresolved shooting deaths.

On the evening of July 31, Jason Kennedy was walking with a group of men near the intersection of 108th Street and South Western Avenue in the unincorporated Westmont area when a dark-colored vehicle stopped in the street. Several people got out and opened fire and Kennedy was fatally wounded, according to Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who recommended the reward.

The other men in Kennedy's group ran from the scene and have never reached out to law enforcement.

Sheriff's deputies have said they believe Kennedy may have been a victim of mistaken identity, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Ridley-Thomas urged witnesses to grant closure to Kennedy's friends and family.

"Jason is described as a generous and kind young man who was known for helping people, especially his elders," Ridley-Thomas said.

Anyone with information was asked to call Detective Gary Sica or Sgt. Michael Rodriguez at (323) 890-5500.

Meanwhile, Supervisor Don Knabe, who serves Long Beach, Cerritos and Artesia, recommended extending rewards for information leading to the culprits in three unrelated fatal shootings.

Jeffrey Tidus, a 53-year-old attorney, was shot once in the head in the driveway of his Rolling Hills Estates home in the 4600 block of Sugarhill Drive on Dec. 7, 2009. He had gone out to retrieve a laptop computer from his car, his wife told investigators, who said Tidus appeared to have been targeted.

The attorney's family, friends and clients separately raised $90,000 in reward money, but to date, no one has been arrested.

Anyone with more information on Tidus' shooting was asked to call sheriff's Detectives Joe Espino or Bob Kenney at (323) 890-5500.

Lashown Fils, a 26-year-old Long Beach man, was shot in the chest and left in the street near 14th Street and Cedar Avenue at about 4 a.m. Jan. 11, 2012. He was pronounced dead at a hospital a few hours later.

Investigators do not believe Fils was a gang member.

Anyone with information on who shot Fils was asked to contact Detectives Terri Hubert at (562) 570-5735 or Mark Bigel at (562) 570-5572.

Seaborn Mason was standing in front of a convenience store in the 400 block of East South Street when someone shot him several times in the chest just after 11 p.m. July 23, 2012, according to Long Beach police.

Investigators said several people were in the area, but no one heard an argument or saw a fight before the shots were fired.

Homicide detectives Malcolm Evans or Todd Johnson, at (562) 570-7247, are handling Mason's case.

Witnesses to any of the shootings can remain anonymous and still collect a reward, county officials said.

-- City News Service