Pomona offers $10,000 reward for help in solving any 2013 homicide

Pomona police are offering $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in any of the city’s dozens of homicides this year.

Although detectives have solved some cases and have leads on others, police said in a statement that “there are still witnesses out there that do have critical information related to the unsolved cases, who can make the difference between knowing who did it and proving who did it.”

Pomona police did not respond to repeated requests for comment on the arrests. The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reported police have cleared two of this year’s homicides. There have been 25 killings in Pomona this year, according to the L.A. Times Homicide Report.

HOMICIDE REPORT: Tracking killings in L.A. County

The city has seen a sharp increase in homicides over the last two years, reversing years of decline in a city once known for its crime rate and gang wars.

Just two weeks ago, a pastor for a youth ministry was gunned down as he dropped off a boy at home after their group went out to celebrate the boy’s graduation from a youth program.

In August, three people were killed and two were wounded in four shootings over six hours.

“Every witness is important and any one person may hold the key to solving a homicide, but they must come forward with the information in order to help us bring these criminals to justice,” the police department said.

Pomona police officials said the department is also reviewing older unsolved homicides to see if they may be eligible for the reward. The reward money comes from drug money seized by the department and made available after convictions.

Anyone with information on any of this year’s homicides should contact the Pomona police detectives at (909) 620-2095; the homicide tip line at (909) 620-2085; Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 222-8477; or We Tip at 1 (800) 782-7463.

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