AT&T offers $100,000 reward for tips on employee's death

GLADSTONE, Mo. - AT&T announced Thursday they are offering a $100,000 reward for tips that lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for an employee's death on Wednesday.

Police said Kevin M. Mashburn was killed while on duty in Gladstone early Wednesday morning. Mashburn was a 41-year veteran of the company and was a system technician. AT&T said he earned a Service Excellence Award for work in 2011 involving restoration of services in Joplin, Mo., after a tornado devastated the community.

"AT&T is committed to doing all it can to assist in bringing anyone involved in the death of Kevin Mashburn  to justice,” AT&T Missouri President John Sondag said in a release. “Kevin devoted his entire adult working life to AT&T, and was widely admired by his colleagues. His sudden, tragic passing is deeply felt here at AT&T, and we want to again offer our deepest condolences to Kevin’s family and many friends.”

A Mashburn family member told 41 Action News Thursday that they are grateful for the reward and hope it leads to finding the killer.

Police found Mashburn in his AT&T utility vehicle, a victim of apparent assault. He later died at a hospital.

Mashburn leaves behind his wife of 33 years, two sons, two daughters and a granddaughter.

"If everyone had a dad like mine, like ours, stuff like this wouldn't happen. You'd just be raised a little better than that," eldest son William said on Wednesday. "I feel like my dad was newsworthy on any day just for being a rockstar human being. It's unfortunate that anyone is learning about him now after something like this."

Mashburn was a member of Local 6360 CWA. Union president Joseph Blanco said he is working with AT&T to determine if this attack could have been prevented and if any contractual safety measures need to be added.

AT&T urges anyone with information to call the AT&T Asset Protection line at 1-800-807-4205.