DA, Police Chief, and County Supervisor Announce $100,000 Reward in 1994 Cold Case
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAN JOSE – Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, District Attorney Jeff Rosen and Santa Clara Police Chief Michael Sellers today held a joint press conference to announce that Applied Materials has reissued a $100,000 reward in connection with the 1994 killing of Matthew Flores.
Simitian urged anyone with information about the case to, “Step up, and share what you know.”
On March 24, 1994, Matthew Flores was killed in the parking lot of Applied Materials in Santa Clara, where he had started work just ten days earlier. A former military officer, Flores was shot and killed at point blank range getting out of his car. The case has never been solved.
Born on May 17th, 1967 in Rhode Island, Flores left behind his wife, Denise, and an 8-month old daughter. He had recently been discharged from the Army, where he had served with honors in Operation Desert Storm.
On Monday, Applied Materials reissued its $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Flores’ killer. The reward was originally offered in the immediate aftermath of the shooting in 1994, but never led to an arrest.
“Even though it happened more than 20 years ago, it is an open homicide investigation and our detectives are continuing to look for a lead with regards to this case,” Sellers said. “We’ll be working on this until the day we can call Matt’s family and give them the answers they’ve been looking for.”
In late 2010 Flores’ mother and stepfather, Ellen and Mike Mauro, approached Simitian (then in the State Senate) and asked for his help. In response, in early 2011 Simitian reached out to Applied Materials who reissued the reward; to the then newly elected District Attorney, Jeff Rosen, who had reestablished a “cold-case” department in his office; and to the City of Santa Clara’s Police Department.
“Someone out there may have that thread of information that will help us unravel this mystery,” DA Rosen said. “$100,000 is a lot of money for a name. For Matthew Flores’ family that name means justice, and justice is priceless.”
Simitian noted that, “The 2011 effort generated a number of new leads, but ultimately none of them panned out. Now, five years later, Matt’s family has again reached out, and I agreed that with the passage of time it was appropriate to revisit the case. Applied Materials generously agreed to reissue the reward, yet again, in the hopes that this time it will prompt a response.”
Simitian noted that, “The timing is particularly poignant on two counts. Just a week or so ago, Matt’s 22 year old daughter graduated from college with academic honors – an accomplished young woman who never knew her Dad. It’s also a poignant time because tomorrow, Tuesday, May 17th, would have been Matt’s 49th birthday; a birthday family and friends continue to remember but are unable to celebrate.”
“It can be easy to let these sorts of cases slip into the background,” said Simitian, “but we should remember that to Matt’s friends and family, this case is just as important today as it was more than twenty years ago. And I’m gratified that the DA, the police, and Matt’s former employer all feel the same way.”
Mr. and Mrs. Mauro, Matt’s stepfather and mother, are appreciative, believing, as Ellen Mauro says, “It means the world to us that folks on the other side of the country still care, are still working the case. But beyond that, it says a lot about their integrity and professionalism.”
Anyone with information relating to the case can call the Santa Clara Police Department’s tip line at (408) 241-9495.
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