A California man has been convicted of murder and other charges for his involvement in the brutal killing of marijuana and tech entrepreneur Tushar Atre. Atre had created a hostile and torturous work environment for his employees, including forcing two workers to do pushups for their paychecks, which eventually led to his murder.
Joshua Camps Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder
Joshua Camps, 29, was found guilty on Wednesday of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and burglary for his role in the 2019 slaying of Santa Cruz tech CEO Tushar Atre. Camps, along with three other men, was involved in the brutal killing after two of the men had been forced by Atre to do pushups as a punishment.
Tushar Atre’s Toxic Work Environment
Prosecutors revealed that Atre created a toxic work environment, mistreating his employees to the point where some joked about robbing or hurting him. Employees testified about the harsh working conditions, including Atre’s repeated yelling, withholding paychecks, and firing workers for minor perceived disrespect. One worker, Sam Borghese, described Atre as a boss who “pushed his employees very hard,” creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
The Murder Plot and Failed Robbery
Kaleb Charters, one of Atre’s former workers, recruited Joshua Camps, his brother Kurtis Charters, and Stephen Lindsay to help rob Atre of $1 million. The plan quickly went wrong when Atre managed to escape, but he was caught, stabbed multiple times, and forced into a vehicle. Camps and the others transported Atre to a cannabis property in Santa Cruz to finish the job.
Details of the Murder
According to police confessions, Atre was zip-tied, gagged, and brutally attacked by the group. Camps later admitted that he stabbed Atre in the neck when he tried to escape, then shot him multiple times with an AR-15 rifle, including in the jaw and the back of the head, to “put him out of his misery.” Camps described Atre’s pleas for mercy, stating that Atre was covered in blood and kept asking, “Who are you guys?” before he died.
The Victim’s Final Moments
In his confession, Camps recalled Atre’s final moments: “He was covered in blood. He was saying, ‘Please let me go.'” Camps admitted that he knew Atre was going to die and ended his life to put him out of his suffering.
Sentences for the Co-Defendants
Kaleb Charters, who had been convicted of first-degree murder, and his co-defendants, Kurtis Charters and Stephen Lindsay, were all sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Joshua Camps is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19.
Prosecutor’s Closing Remarks
Santa Cruz County Assistant District Attorney Michael McKinney remarked during the trial that it was fitting Atre was killed at the very location where the abusive work environment unfolded: his cannabis farm.
