State v. Avis

The issue in the present case is whether the petitioner, Robert DePretis, should receive the $20,000 reward offered to the person or persons giving information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for the murder of Alfred Schmidt.

The following facts are undisputed: On October 8, 1978, at approximately 4 a.m., a robbery was committed in Litchfield. During the course of the robbery, Schmidt was killed by a shot from a handgun. On October 31, 1978, the governor, at the request of Dennis Santore, the state’s attorney for Litchfield, authorized a reward of $20,000 for…