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Jan 29, 2007 11:30 pm US/Pacific
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Reward Offered For Lead In Plastic Surgeon Murder
LANCASTER (CBS) ―
A $50,000 reward was offered Monday for information leading to the suspect or suspects who killed a prominent retired Antelope Valley plastic surgeon and the "rare evidence" that could help solve the crime.
Esfandiar "Steve" Kadivar was found shot to death on July 5 at his remote, 200-acre, desert ranch where he grew pistachio nuts, alfalfa and raised livestock because they reminded him of his native Iran, Sheriff's Capt. Ray Peavy told reporters at a Lancaster news conference.
Peavy said that without the public's help "we don't know where we are going to go next on this."
Peavy announced Monday the discovery of a theft at the retired plastic surgeon's ranch during the killing. It is believed Kadivar, 64, was killed while feeding livestock.
A safe containing a variety of valuables was rifled and items taken included coins commemorating the coronation of the Shah of Iran slightly larger than a U.S. half dollar and gold coins about the size of a quarter.
According to reports, the coins were valued at about $250,000. "These are obviously coins you would not see in a normal day in the United States," Peavy said, saying detectives are hoping someone was showing the coins and witnesses will come forward.
Also, investigators discovered that two Browning hunting rifles were missing. Each had scopes and custom "blond wood" stocks. One was a .30-.06 caliber version and the other a .300 Winchester Magnum caliber.
Kadivar's son David told reporters he wished "we could find some closure."
"He was such a good man," the younger Kadivar said. "He took care of all of us. Now we are lost." Kadivar's sister Kim pleaded for the public's help. "He repaired so many wounds" in his more than 30 years of practicing in the Antelope Valley and now "let's repair the wounds of the family," she said.
Before retiring, Kadivar was the resident plastic surgeon at the Antelope Valley Hospital's emergency room.
Kadivar's co-workers and former patients were stunned by his killing because he was described as a kind, generous man and praised his abilities as a doctor and a friend, Peavy said.
The reward is made up of funds from the family as well as the county. Anyone with additional information on the killing is asked to call investigators Gary Sica or Scott Fines at (323) 890-5500.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)