SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the reissuance of $50,000 rewards in multiple unsolved cases across California, seeking to encourage anyone with information to come forward and assist investigators in bringing long-awaited justice to victims and their families.
According to the official Governor’s Office, the reward program is intended to help law enforcement agencies generate new leads in cases where investigations have stalled.
The program is authorized under Penal Code section 1547, which allows the governor to offer rewards recommended by law enforcement officials of “up to $50,000 for tips leading to the arrest and conviction for unsolved crimes and up to $100,000 for tips about crimes against first responders or arson in a place of worship.”
To request a reward offer, law enforcement officials must submit a request to the Office of the Governor that includes a description of the crime, reasons the reward may help bring justice to the victim or family, and other supporting information.
The Governor’s Office said the program “empowers communities, supports law enforcement, and gives victims and their loved ones a renewed path toward justice.”
Newsom added, “These rewards send a message that every case matters, every victim matters, and that we are all working toward increased accountability.”
Under California law, law enforcement agencies may ask the governor to issue rewards in specified unsolved cases after they have exhausted all investigative leads in order to encourage individuals with information to come forward.
The newly-reissued rewards span several regions of the state, including Northern California, Southern California, the Bay Area, the Sacramento region and the Central Coast.
One Northern California case dates to Sept. 3, 2014, when Marc Thompson was fatally shot while parked in a remote wooded area of California’s Butte County.
The announcement follows previous reward actions by Newsom. On Dec. 22, 2025, the governor announced the payment of multiple $50,000 rewards in several California counties.
One of those payments involved the unsolved murder of 14-year-old De Anna Lynn Johnson in Solano County. She was killed near her home in Vacaville in 1982.
Krishna Abrams, the Solano County district attorney, said, “The murder of De Anna Lynn Johnson, a young Vacaville student, rocked our entire community.”
After three individuals provided authorities with additional information, investigators arrested and secured the conviction of Marvin Markle in the killing.
Newsom also made rewards available in two other unsolved cases in Alameda County and San Diego County.
The Alameda County case involves Antonio Nunez, a 16-year-old who was fatally shot outside his home. Investigators with the Oakland Police Department said the department “has exhausted all investigative leads and requested that a reward be offered to encourage anyone with information to contact.”
The San Diego County case involves 28-year-old Arthur Jordan, who was fatally shot by an unknown assailant while sitting in his car.
The San Diego Police Department also said it “has exhausted all investigative leads and requested that a reward be offered to encourage anyone with information about this murder to contact.”
State officials said the renewed reward offers are designed to generate new leads, revive cold case investigations and provide another path toward accountability in cases that have remained unresolved for years.
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