Reward in murder of Lyft driver increases to $35,000

ATLANTA - A major donation from friends of a murdered Lyft driver has increased the reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction to $35,000, Crime Stoppers of Greater Atlanta announced Tuesday.

The news release states Crime Stoppers has received a $25,000 donation from friends of the family of Shahriar Zolfaghari.

That money has been added to $5,000 donated by Crime Stoppers and $5,000 from Governor Nathan Deal’s office.

Zolfaghari was shot and killed while he sat at a stop light at the corner of Rankin Street and Boulevard in Atlanta early Wednesday morning, June 1.

At a news conference Friday, his widow said her husband was generous, loved life and gave up his career to take career of their young daughter.

Outside the couple’s Mabelton home, Camila Wright Zolfaghari called her husband, Shahriar, the love of her life.

She told reporters he gave up his real estate development career and began driving for Uber and Lyft after their daughter was born one year ago.

"He loved us more than anything. We are broken," the 37-year-old Assistant State Attorney General told reporters as her voice cracked.

Atlanta Police said the killer shot Zolfaghari twice after he dropped off a fare in the area.

Police have talked to that rider and said he had nothing to do with the murder.

Zolfaghari's credit cards and identification were still intact, so police said the crime does not appear to be a robbery. 

Anyone with information on the Zolfaghari murder can contact Atlanta Police Detective J. Shephard at 404-617-3012, or can anonymously call Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (404-577-8477).