MONTEREY PARK, Calif. (AP) - A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who gunned down an avid hiker in the San Gabriel Mountains last month, Los Angeles County authorities said Friday.
Gerald “Myles” Purdue, 63, of San Bernardino was found shot to death on Mount Baldy Road on March 25.
Lt. Barry Hall said Purdue frequently hiked in the Mount Baldy area and was familiar with the Los Angeles County side of the massive mountain, which rises to an elevation of more than 10,000 feet (3,048 meters).
His body was found in a culvert about 60 yards (55 meters) from a turnout where he had parked and locked his car.
Witnesses saw a dark four-door sedan parked behind Purdue’s car just before the body was spotted by two people who stopped in the turnout.
“Investigators have not established a motive for this murder and while this appears to be an isolated incident, the Sheriff’s Department would urge those hiking in the Mount Baldy area to use caution and report any suspicious activity,” Hall said.
“It really is a mystery why he was shot,” Hall said.
The area is desolate but there are trailheads where people park to go on hikes, he said.
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