Gov. Schwarzenegger offers reward...

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the killer(s) of Jason and Lindsay. That is music to my ears. I pray that this might get someone interested in talking. There is already one reward for $10,000 being offered by the Carole Sund/Carrington Memorial Reward Foundation. Please continue to pray for more leads in this case. But most of all... pray for the families... as this holiday season is going to be difficult for them, for obvious reasons.

Governor Schwarzenegger Offers Rewards for Information in Three Unsolved Murder Cases

11/24/2004

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced the issuance of rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for three unsolved murder cases in California.

The following is a brief description of each crime and the reward amount offered:

On August 18, 2004, Jason Allen and Lindsay Cutshall were found dead in sleeping bags on a beach near the town of Jenner. Both were shot in the head. The Governor is offering a reward in the amount of $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals or individual responsible for this double murder.

On January 8, 2002, Cecilia Garcia was found dead in her Livermore home by family members. The Governor is offering a reward in the amount of $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals or individual responsible for this murder.

On August 1, 2003, Tong Lo and his four children drove to the family's grocery store in Stockton. Upon their arrival at the store, two masked individuals approached Lo, shot him, took the money bag he was carrying and shot him again. Lo died at the scene with his four children looking on. The Governor is offering a reward in the amount of $25,000 per perpetrator, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for this murder.

Anyone with information in any of these cases should contact local law enforcement officials in the city or county where the crime was committed.

Under the Governor's Reward program, 165 rewards have been offered since 1967 and 18 have been paid. The reward process is initiated when the Governor receives a written request from the chief of the law enforcement agency with investigatory jurisdiction over the matter. This request informs the Governor that (1) those responsible for the investigation have pursued all leads and believe, in their independent judgment, that a reward will help them in their efforts, (2) the crime is one for which a reward may be offered under California law, and (3) the victims' families support the reward. The Governor's legal affairs unit processes the request and ensures statutory compliance. The Governor makes the final determination regarding the request.

Rewards may be offered for specified crimes under the California Penal Code and subject to statutory maximums. Rewards do not expire and are only paid if the information leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals charged with the crime.

The Governor's proclamations describing these rewards in more detail can be linked to below.

Reward for Information in the Double Murder of Jason Allen and Lindsay Cutshall

Reward for Information in the Murder of Cecilia Garcia

Reward for Information in the Murder of Tong Lo

More links:

Holland Sentinel

Sacramento Bee

Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Still waiting for answers...

There haven't been any groundbreaking developments in this case since last August, however, I wanted to share an article that ran in my local newspaper today about Jason and Lindsay. My mom recently met up with Jason's mom and talked about the loss with her. However, I chose not to share because I didn't know if I should publicly release everything I hear on this weblog. My first priority is to not do anything to upset Jason's family, as they are obviously experiencing something tremendously difficult and they do not yet have the closure of having identified and prosecuted the perpetrator(s). But since this article was published in our newspaper, I wanted to include it.

Please continue to pray for the Allen and Cutshall families as they try to move on after having so senselessly lost their beloved family members. It still breaks my heart to think about this. Jason was such a sweet, genuine, and funny person. I have so many memories of him... especially from my childhood. I never would have imagined his life would end as it did. It is hard for me to understand why this happened, but it is remarkable to see the good that God can bring from something as tragic as this.

Family waits for answers in double murder...
Jason Allen and Lindsay Cutshall were shot in their sleep while camping in California.

Sunday, November 21, 2004

By RICHARD HARROLD
Staff writer

There are moments when dealing with her son's death becomes more difficult than at other times, says Delores Allen.

Her son, Jason, and his fiancee, Lindsay Cutshall, were shot to death three months ago on a California beach where they slept for the night. Their bodies were discovered Aug. 18. Their killer's identity remains unknown.

"Hunting season is here and Jason and his father hunted together," Allen said. "And the holidays are coming. We miss him so much."

But overall, the Zeeland resident said that she and her husband, Bob, are doing well as they await news to come from Sonoma County, Calif., where the murders occurred.

"They want this case solved, too," she said.

Lt. Dave Edmonds, lead investigator for the crimes at the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department, said his team is keeping all options open.

"This case is a big deal for us," Edmonds said.

Edmonds wouldn't say if police have a suspect or a suspect profile, but he said investigators have collected a tremendous amount of evidence and information that is slowly filling in the many blanks the case presents.

"This case is a peculiar one," he said. "It has very sinister markers to it. The case is absolutely disturbing."

What police have released is that Jason Allen, 26, and Cutshall, 23, of Fresno, Ohio, were shot to death, probably in their sleep, with a .45-caliber rifle. Their bodies were found on a remote beach near Jenner, Calif., side by side in separate sleeping bags after a sheriff's helicopter crew was sent out to rescue a hiker who had fallen down a nearby bluff.

Edmonds said that investigators have been in contact with the FBI about the case.

"If we have to gut this thing out, work consistently on it, we will," he said. "My feeling is, from experience, it's very uncommon that there isn't someone out there who can deliver to us information about this."

In the meantime, Delores Allen said she's been going through the many cards and letters she's received from people who knew her son and his fiancee, both friends and students who attended the Rock-n-Water camp in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Sacramento, Calif., where the couple worked last summer.

"I'm trying to answer all of them," she said. "It gives us a lot of comfort that their death was not in vain, that their ministry is going on."