Topline: Jurors hear how workplace humiliation and financial conflict may have fueled the deadly assault.
Published: November 1, 2025 8:00 am ET
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Left: Kaleb Charters, Right: Tushar Atre (via Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office)
SANTA CRUZ, CA — Testimony continued this week in the trial of Kaleb Charters, the last of four men to face charges in the 2019 killing of Santa Cruz tech executive and cannabis entrepreneur Tushar Atre.
Atre, 50, was kidnapped from his Pleasure Point home around 3 a.m. on October 1, 2019, stabbed, and fatally shot before his body was left in the Santa Cruz mountains, according to investigators. Prosecutors allege Charters helped plan the attack and drove the group to Atre’s house.
Two co-defendants, Stephen Nicholas “Nic” Lindsay and Kurtis Charters, Kaleb’s older brother, were convicted earlier this year and sentenced to life in prison without parole. A fourth suspect, Joshua Camps, will face trial after Kaleb’s jury reaches a verdict.
Kaleb Charters was 18 when Atre hired him and Lindsay to work on a marijuana farm in August 2019. Atre had recently launched Interstitial Systems, a cannabis business with a lab and a grow site in the mountains. He was also CEO of AtreNet, a web design firm.
Sam Borghese, a 23-year-old University of California Santa Cruz graduate, testified about his role managing the cannabis operation and his relationship with Atre. Borghese described a tense work environment, saying Atre frequently yelled at employees, withheld paychecks, and fired staff he felt disrespected.
“He pushed his employees very hard,” Borghese said as reported by KRON 4. He testified that some workers joked about robbing or harming Atre behind his back.
Defense attorney Thomas “TJ” Brewer asked Borghese whether Atre used fear to motivate employees. Borghese replied, “Yes.”
Borghese said he had a positive relationship with Atre and considered him a mentor. They often surfed together and socialized outside of work. Atre once gave Borghese $25,000 in cash to purchase marijuana plants in Humboldt County with Lindsay and Kaleb, Borghese testified.
Jurors viewed video footage Atre recorded of Lindsay and Kaleb working long shifts on the farm. Borghese said the pair had access to the farm’s security code but not to Atre’s house.
After receiving paychecks, Lindsay and Kaleb left Santa Cruz. However, Atre discovered missing truck keys and canceled the checks, Borghese said. When the pair returned, an argument broke out at the cannabis lab over payment.
Atre allegedly forced Lindsay and Kaleb to perform between 300 and 500 pushups before issuing new checks for $1,400 each. Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Detective Ethan Rumrill testified that the pushups may have contributed to a motive. “They were humiliated in front of people doing pushups,” Rumrill said, according to KRON 4.
Weeks later, Lindsay and Kaleb called Borghese asking for Atre’s home security code and discussed robbing him, Borghese testified. He said he believed they were joking and gave them a fake code.
Prosecutors allege the group recruited Camps, who owned firearms, to assist in the robbery. On October 1, 2019, Kaleb allegedly drove the three men to Atre’s house and left the scene.
According to CBS News, surveillance footage showed Atre running down Pleasure Point Drive screaming for help before being tackled, stabbed, and forced into a white BMW SUV. Investigators said Kaleb waited at the cannabis farm, where Camps shot Atre in the back of the head.
District Attorney Detective Steven Ryan presented bank records showing Kaleb deposited $1,000 in cash into his account around 5 p.m. the day of the murder.
Lindsay deposited additional cash on October 15 and attempted to use Atre’s bank account to pay bills and credit card debt, Ryan testified. Lindsay also tried to link Atre’s account to his PayPal account. Kaleb deposited another $2,300 in November.
All four suspects were arrested by May 2020.
Kaleb has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. His attorney described the case as a burglary-gone-wrong. Brewer said Kaleb agreed to participate in a burglary while Atre was out of town, intending to steal cash and a vehicle.
Brewer said Kaleb dropped off the trio at Atre’s house and left, but the others changed the plan and entered the home while Atre was present.
“Kaleb never touched Tushar,” his Brewer told the court. He highlighted how Camps shot Atre and that Kaleb never physically harmed him.
Kaleb faces charges of murder, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, and carjacking. His trial is ongoing before Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Stephen Siegel.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Pushups, Paychecks, and a Murder Trial: Santa Cruz Tech CEO Case Unfolds
Jurors hear how workplace humiliation and financial conflict may have fueled the deadly assault.
By Kate Byrd
Published: November 1, 2025 8:00 am ET
Left: Kaleb Charters, Right: Tushar Atre (via Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office)
SANTA CRUZ, CA — Testimony continued this week in the trial of Kaleb Charters, the last of four men to face charges in the 2019 killing of Santa Cruz tech executive and cannabis entrepreneur Tushar Atre.
Atre, 50, was kidnapped from his Pleasure Point home around 3 a.m. on October 1, 2019, stabbed, and fatally shot before his body was left in the Santa Cruz mountains, according to investigators. Prosecutors allege Charters helped plan the attack and drove the group to Atre’s house.
Two co-defendants, Stephen Nicholas “Nic” Lindsay and Kurtis Charters, Kaleb’s older brother, were convicted earlier this year and sentenced to life in prison without parole. A fourth suspect, Joshua Camps, will face trial after Kaleb’s jury reaches a verdict.
Kaleb Charters was 18 when Atre hired him and Lindsay to work on a marijuana farm in August 2019. Atre had recently launched Interstitial Systems, a cannabis business with a lab and a grow site in the mountains. He was also CEO of AtreNet, a web design firm.
Sam Borghese, a 23-year-old University of California Santa Cruz graduate, testified about his role managing the cannabis operation and his relationship with Atre. Borghese described a tense work environment, saying Atre frequently yelled at employees, withheld paychecks, and fired staff he felt disrespected.
“He pushed his employees very hard,” Borghese said as reported by KRON 4. He testified that some workers joked about robbing or harming Atre behind his back.
Defense attorney Thomas “TJ” Brewer asked Borghese whether Atre used fear to motivate employees. Borghese replied, “Yes.”
Borghese said he had a positive relationship with Atre and considered him a mentor. They often surfed together and socialized outside of work. Atre once gave Borghese $25,000 in cash to purchase marijuana plants in Humboldt County with Lindsay and Kaleb, Borghese testified.
Jurors viewed video footage Atre recorded of Lindsay and Kaleb working long shifts on the farm. Borghese said the pair had access to the farm’s security code but not to Atre’s house.
After receiving paychecks, Lindsay and Kaleb left Santa Cruz. However, Atre discovered missing truck keys and canceled the checks, Borghese said. When the pair returned, an argument broke out at the cannabis lab over payment.
Atre allegedly forced Lindsay and Kaleb to perform between 300 and 500 pushups before issuing new checks for $1,400 each. Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Detective Ethan Rumrill testified that the pushups may have contributed to a motive. “They were humiliated in front of people doing pushups,” Rumrill said, according to KRON 4.
Weeks later, Lindsay and Kaleb called Borghese asking for Atre’s home security code and discussed robbing him, Borghese testified. He said he believed they were joking and gave them a fake code.
Prosecutors allege the group recruited Camps, who owned firearms, to assist in the robbery. On October 1, 2019, Kaleb allegedly drove the three men to Atre’s house and left the scene.
According to CBS News, surveillance footage showed Atre running down Pleasure Point Drive screaming for help before being tackled, stabbed, and forced into a white BMW SUV. Investigators said Kaleb waited at the cannabis farm, where Camps shot Atre in the back of the head.
District Attorney Detective Steven Ryan presented bank records showing Kaleb deposited $1,000 in cash into his account around 5 p.m. the day of the murder.
Lindsay deposited additional cash on October 15 and attempted to use Atre’s bank account to pay bills and credit card debt, Ryan testified. Lindsay also tried to link Atre’s account to his PayPal account. Kaleb deposited another $2,300 in November.
All four suspects were arrested by May 2020.
Kaleb has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. His attorney described the case as a burglary-gone-wrong. Brewer said Kaleb agreed to participate in a burglary while Atre was out of town, intending to steal cash and a vehicle.
Brewer said Kaleb dropped off the trio at Atre’s house and left, but the others changed the plan and entered the home while Atre was present.
“Kaleb never touched Tushar,” his Brewer told the court. He highlighted how Camps shot Atre and that Kaleb never physically harmed him.
Kaleb faces charges of murder, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, and carjacking. His trial is ongoing before Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Stephen Siegel.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Pushups, Paychecks, and a Murder Trial: Santa Cruz Tech CEO Case Unfolds
Jurors hear how workplace humiliation and financial conflict may have fueled the deadly assault.
By Kate Byrd
Published: November 1, 2025 8:00 am ET
Left: Kaleb Charters, Right: Tushar Atre (via Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office)
SANTA CRUZ, CA — Testimony continued this week in the trial of Kaleb Charters, the last of four men to face charges in the 2019 killing of Santa Cruz tech executive and cannabis entrepreneur Tushar Atre.
Atre, 50, was kidnapped from his Pleasure Point home around 3 a.m. on October 1, 2019, stabbed, and fatally shot before his body was left in the Santa Cruz mountains, according to investigators. Prosecutors allege Charters helped plan the attack and drove the group to Atre’s house.
Two co-defendants, Stephen Nicholas “Nic” Lindsay and Kurtis Charters, Kaleb’s older brother, were convicted earlier this year and sentenced to life in prison without parole. A fourth suspect, Joshua Camps, will face trial after Kaleb’s jury reaches a verdict.
Kaleb Charters was 18 when Atre hired him and Lindsay to work on a marijuana farm in August 2019. Atre had recently launched Interstitial Systems, a cannabis business with a lab and a grow site in the mountains. He was also CEO of AtreNet, a web design firm.
Sam Borghese, a 23-year-old University of California Santa Cruz graduate, testified about his role managing the cannabis operation and his relationship with Atre. Borghese described a tense work environment, saying Atre frequently yelled at employees, withheld paychecks, and fired staff he felt disrespected.
“He pushed his employees very hard,” Borghese said as reported by KRON 4. He testified that some workers joked about robbing or harming Atre behind his back.
Defense attorney Thomas “TJ” Brewer asked Borghese whether Atre used fear to motivate employees. Borghese replied, “Yes.”
Borghese said he had a positive relationship with Atre and considered him a mentor. They often surfed together and socialized outside of work. Atre once gave Borghese $25,000 in cash to purchase marijuana plants in Humboldt County with Lindsay and Kaleb, Borghese testified.
Jurors viewed video footage Atre recorded of Lindsay and Kaleb working long shifts on the farm. Borghese said the pair had access to the farm’s security code but not to Atre’s house.
After receiving paychecks, Lindsay and Kaleb left Santa Cruz. However, Atre discovered missing truck keys and canceled the checks, Borghese said. When the pair returned, an argument broke out at the cannabis lab over payment.
Atre allegedly forced Lindsay and Kaleb to perform between 300 and 500 pushups before issuing new checks for $1,400 each. Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Detective Ethan Rumrill testified that the pushups may have contributed to a motive. “They were humiliated in front of people doing pushups,” Rumrill said, according to KRON 4.
Weeks later, Lindsay and Kaleb called Borghese asking for Atre’s home security code and discussed robbing him, Borghese testified. He said he believed they were joking and gave them a fake code.
Prosecutors allege the group recruited Camps, who owned firearms, to assist in the robbery. On October 1, 2019, Kaleb allegedly drove the three men to Atre’s house and left the scene.
According to CBS News, surveillance footage showed Atre running down Pleasure Point Drive screaming for help before being tackled, stabbed, and forced into a white BMW SUV. Investigators said Kaleb waited at the cannabis farm, where Camps shot Atre in the back of the head.
District Attorney Detective Steven Ryan presented bank records showing Kaleb deposited $1,000 in cash into his account around 5 p.m. the day of the murder.
Lindsay deposited additional cash on October 15 and attempted to use Atre’s bank account to pay bills and credit card debt, Ryan testified. Lindsay also tried to link Atre’s account to his PayPal account. Kaleb deposited another $2,300 in November.
All four suspects were arrested by May 2020.
Kaleb has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. His attorney described the case as a burglary-gone-wrong. Brewer said Kaleb agreed to participate in a burglary while Atre was out of town, intending to steal cash and a vehicle.
Brewer said Kaleb dropped off the trio at Atre’s house and left, but the others changed the plan and entered the home while Atre was present.
“Kaleb never touched Tushar,” his Brewer told the court. He highlighted how Camps shot Atre and that Kaleb never physically harmed him.
Kaleb faces charges of murder, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, and carjacking. His trial is ongoing before Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Stephen Siegel.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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