The reward in a nearly six-year-old case has been increased to $50,000 Tuesday, aiming to find the person who murdered a preschooler in unincorporated Altadena in 2016.
Salvador Esparza III of Monrovia was shot in the head July 5, 2016, around 10:40 p.m. as he stood on the porch at 384 W. Figueroa Drive.
The boy, on the verge of heading to kindergarten, was visiting family friends, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
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Salvador died at Huntington Memorial Hospital later that evening.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Supervisor Kathryn Barger Tuesday.
“This innocent preschooler was robbed of his potential and future. I’ve doubled the reward amount from $25,000 to $50,000 with the hope that it will lead to the arrest of the perpetrator of this terrible crime. Justice for the Esparza family must be served,” Barger said.
A 27-year-old man was also found on the porch with gunshot wounds, deputies said.
A couple other young children were asleep in the home when the gunfire broke out, authorities said.
Sheriff’s officials said at the time that the gunman walked up to the home and fired at least 13 rounds, striking the the child and the man as they sat on a porch.
Investigators believe the family was not the intended target of the shooting and it was gang related.
“Any bit of information related to this shooting is helpful and can be the missing link to solving this murder. We protect the identity of all individuals who provide tips, so please don’t hesitate to contact us. We won’t rest until the person responsible for this senseless murder is arrested,” LASD Sergeant Dominick Recchia said.
A $20,000 reward was previously offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Anyone with information about the shooting investigation is asked to contact the sheriff’s department at (323) 890-5500 or, anonymously, Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.
