Cops Hope 80K Will Get You To Drop Dime on Killer

Authorities have increased the reward for information about the shooting death of 36-year-old Sanjay Samy in Brentwood on Oct. 26, 2004, to $81,000.
     
Authorities also announced for the first time that they think Samy, who managed a tire shop in Castro Valley, was killed because he was scheduled to testify against a man who was charged with felony theft of  service for not paying his bill at the tire shop.
     
Alameda County sheriff's Sgt. Scott Dudek said the man who was charged with theft is a person of interest in Samy's death in the 2000 block  of Haddington Court.
     
Dudek said the man is being held in custody in Alameda County in connection with an unrelated case but authorities don't have enough  information to charge him in connection with Samy's death.

Dudek said Samy was scheduled to testify in the man's case on Oct. 27, 2004, the day after he was killed.

"We believe there is a direct link between his testimony and the murder," Dudek said.

According to Dudek, the person of interest had tire work performed at Samy's tire shop but sped off without paying his bill.

Dudek said authorities believe that the man didn't want to be convicted of the theft charge because he had prior strike felony convictions  and another strike would have forced him to go back to state prison for a  long period.

He said the man eventually reached a plea agreement for a lesser charge that wasn't a strike and received a lighter sentence.

Brentwood police initially offered a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction for the suspect or suspects in the case.

Samy's family has contributed $74,000 and the Carole Sund/Carrington Foundation has added another $5,000.

Dudek said the $81,000 reward "is a substantial amount" and he hopes it will motivate more witnesses to come forward.

He said authorities aren't sure if the person of interest is directly responsible for Samy's death or if other people carried out the  shooting.

Dudek said Brentwood police have investigated Samy's death since the shooting occurred and the Alameda County Sheriff's Office joined the  investigation seven weeks ago at the request of the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.