Three people who helped authorities find the Los Angeles police officer turned killer Christopher Dorner will share a $1million reward, a panel of retired judges has ruled.
A furor erupted after two of the groups that originally pledged to contribute to a reward for Dorner’s capture wanted to pull their money out because he killed himself. The three-judge panel, however, ruled that Dorner had, in effect, been captured when he was surrounded by police in the cabin where he died.
The judges found that a married couple who broke free and called police after they were tied up by Dorner in their mountain cabin should receive 80 percent of the reward; a ski resort employee who spotted Dorner’s burning truck in the San Bernardino Mountains five days earlier should get 15 percent; and 5 percent should go to a tow truck driver who reported seeing Dorner in a gas station earlier that day.
Dorner, 33, who was accused of killing four people in a vendetta against the Los Angeles police force, died on Feb. 12 in a fiery conclusion to a standoff with officers in the mountains above the city.
Police had narrowed their search to the area surrounding the mountain community of Big Bear on Feb. 7 after Daniel McGowan, an employee of the Snow Summit ski resort, spotted Dorner’s truck burning on an unpaved fire road and contacted a sheriff’s deputy.
While authorities searched the area over the next few days, Dorner was apparently holed up not far from their command post in a cabin owned by Jim and Karen Reynolds.
The couple returned to their cabin on Feb. 12 and were confronted by Dorner, who tied them up and stole their sports utility vehicle. Karen Reynolds worked free of her restraints and contact police.
Dorner made his last stand at a second cabin in the Big Bear area. He engaged in a fierce gun battle with police before fatally shooting himself as the cabin burned to the ground. His charred remains were found inside.
Los Angeles police officials, who agreed to let the panel of judges decide who among 12 claimants should receive the reward, said in a statement on the department’s website that it would be paid in installments, with the first payment on Friday.
Read more: Gaurdian.co.uk
