Family of a man murdered 10 years ago seeking justice

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Sheriff's detectives are close to solving a murder, after ten agonizing years for the victim's family.

In 2005 Anthony Renovato was just 26-years-old. He was a father of four, and about to start a new job with his own dad, when he was murdered, burned and dumped in an orchard.

At a press conference Wednesday, family members and sheriff's investigators came together to ask for help. "We feel we are at a point with just the another little bit of information we will be able to put together a case that the district attorney's office can file. we're at that point right now," said Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims.

The murder dates back to July 2005. Mims said Renovato was last seen at the Calwa home of Ernie Salinas. Six others, including Matthew Salinas, Ronnie Mendez, Ruben Contreras, Brian Hindman, Christina Sotelo and Esequiel Barbosa, were all there and detectives believe they were the last people to see the victim before his was killed.

"Some are cooperative and some are not we're hoping that someone will recognize the photographs recognize the names. may remember a conversation may remember some comments made to them," said Mims.

Words can hardly describe Tony Renovato's pain. A man who's had to bury his own son. "It's difficult. There's times when I rode down the road and I start just missing my son it's very difficult," said Tony Renovato.

For this family, an arrest won't take the pain away, but they hope it will bring some healing to their broken hearts. "Even though it's been ten years god's doing his job his will you know and hopefully we will get justice," said the victim's son's mother Linda Perez.

Since reopening this case, the sheriff's office has doubled their reward money to two thousand dollars. They're offering that to anyone who has information that will lead to the arrest of a suspect.