LAKEPORT, Calif. – In his first formal request to the Board of Supervisors, Lake County's new sheriff received approval for a cash reward to help solve a nine-month-old murder case.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the request from Sheriff Brian Martin and his staff, who appeared before the board Tuesday morning to request the $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who killed 51-year-old Christopher Michael Wray of Lucerne.

Supervisor Rob Brown had the item placed on the agenda on the sheriff's office's behalf.

Wray was shot at a residence on 12th Avenue in Lucerne on the night of April 22, 2014. He died a short time later at Sutter Lakeside Hospital, before he could be flown to a trauma center.

The sheriff's office said a witness reported seeing an assailant – described as a white male adult with short hair, approximately 40 to 50 years of age, wearing a black jacket and dark jeans, and appearing to have a handgun – running toward the Tower Mart gas station shortly after hearing gunfire.

Although deputies arrived on scene within a minute of the dispatch to the shots fired call, they couldn't find the assailant.

Despite the efforts by sheriff's detectives, the case has hit a dead end, according to the Tuesday discussion.

Undersheriff Chris Macedo – who appeared alongside Martin and the case's lead investigator, Det. Eric Keener – said the sheriff's office has received evidence back from the Department of Justice crime lab but they have not been able to develop further information to identify the suspect.

He said they were asking for the reward money in the hopes that it would encourage someone with information to come forward.

Brown said he has personal experience with how valuable rewards can be in such cases, referring to a reward that helped lead to the arrest and charges against Jonathan Mota in the January 2013 Forrest Seagrave murder.

He said rewards can quickly get information that might take detectives months to gather. “The difference is worth every penny of the $5,000.”

Brown said he would like to establish an ongoing reward fund for such cases.

“I agree,” said Board Chair Anthony Farrington. “I think it's definitely money well spent.”

Macedo said the sheriff's office wants to start a “crime stoppers”-type program to offer rewards not just for homicides but for other critical cases.

The plan, he said, would be to take donations from the community, not just county funds.

Supervisor Jim Comstock said he supported the proposal 100 percent, and asked the source of the reward money. Macedo said it would come from sheriff's office funds.

Supervisor Jeff Smith also supported the proposal, noting it will be money well spent.

“We may be able to solve this really quickly, too,” Smith said.

“That's our hope,” Macedo replied.

When a community member asked the reason for offering a reward for this case particularly, Macedo said it was because it's the agency's only open homicide case, and they hope the reward money will help solve it.

“It's important for our community that we get this solved,” added Martin.

Brown moved to OK the appropriation, which the board approved.

County Administrative Officer Matt Perry said he will work the reward into the midyear budget that would be presented to the board in about a month.

Anyone with information about the Wray murder is asked to call the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 707-262-4200.

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