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Reward Offered For Info In 2002 Double Murder

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles detectives are hoping the public can help crack a baffling double homicide that dates back nine years and has ties to the sale of high-end jewelry and a Wall Street Ponzi scheme.

Officials on Friday announced a $75,000 reward for information leading to whoever killed Michael Tardio and Christopher Monson, whose bodies were found in a charred Mercedes SUV in Studio City in 2002. Both had been shot.

Tardio was dating Sandy Bentley, who had been featured in Playboy magazine alongside her twin sister. Bentley had a collection of jewelry given to her by a former boyfriend, one-time Wall Street investment adviser Mark Yagalla. He was convicted in 2002 of stealing $50 million of his clients' money.

Detectives think Tardio and Monson were killed as they tried to sell the jewelry.

(© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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