Reward fund in Cotati teen’s murder tops $10,000

The family of a Cotati teen found stabbed to death and buried in a wooded area of the Sonoma State University campus has raised more than $10,000 in reward money for information leading to the killer or killers.

Kirk Kimberly, 18, went missing after he left his house Oct. 15, riding away on a white Cannondale bicycle. His body was found by a university landscape worker Nov. 2 partially buried near a parking lot next to the Green Music Center. Sonoma County sheriff’s detectives have made no arrests in the case.

On Saturday, Kimberly’s family is holding a memorial service and life celebration in Cotati. The event will be held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Cotati Room of the Ray Miller Community Center at 216 East School St.

Kimberly’s mother, Jennifer Kimberly, said the lack of closure in her son’s death had forced the family to delay memorializing his life. Before he disappeared, Kimberly, a recent Rancho Cotate High School graduate, was ready to start a new job.

“He had a career lined up for him. He was on the right track to becoming an adult,” Jennifer Kimberly said.

Sgt. Spencer Crum said the investigations team is “working on active leads” to identify an assailant or assailants. They are waiting for results from forensic tests being done on physical evidence from the scene, Crum said.

“We do have some viable leads, but we’re looking for more evidence and more witnesses to come forward,” Crum said.

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office announced the boosted reward money this week. The total reward fund has topped $12,500, including the amount raised by Kimberly’s family through the You Caring crowdfunding website and another $2,500 put up by the Sonoma County Alliance “Take Back Our Community” program.

Jennifer Kimberly said the reward money will be returned to donors or given to a charitable cause if the case is solved without anyone coming forward with tips leading to the killer.

Anyone with information about the case should call the Sonoma County sheriff’s investigations team at 707-565-2185.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com.