$50,000 REWARD OFFERED IN PUZZLING VALLEY SLAYING.

Byline: - James Nash

Relatives of a 39-year-old hospital accountant found beaten to death in his Woodland Hills apartment last year joined police Monday in announcing a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of his killer.

The killer worked methodically to erase all evidence from Kyle Frieze's Erwin Street apartment before co-workers found his body on April 16, 2002, LAPD Detective Brad Roberts said.

Frieze's parents flew from their home in North Dakota to the San Fernando Valley to plead for the public's help in solving the crime. In January, they offered a $25,000 reward; the Los Angeles City Council agreed last week to match that amount.

``It's very hard to deal with this emotionally, especially yesterday, on Mother's Day,'' said Darlene Frieze of Bismarck, N.D., Kyle Frieze's mother. ``We just don't have any answers, and that's what we're looking for.''

Kyle Frieze had three children and worked as the assistant chief financial officer of the Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center. The children are living in Arizona with their mother, who had separated from Frieze four months before he was killed.

Roberts said police interviewed Frieze's ex-wife but found no evidence connecting her to his death. Police couldn't find anyone else who may have wanted Frieze dead, Roberts said.

But the methodical removing of evidence - including blood-stained sections of carpet from the apartment - suggests a contract killing, the detective said.

``This is really an unusual case,'' Roberts said. ``We don't have anywhere else to go unless we get that phone call (offering information).''

Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact West Valley homicide detectives at [phone] days or the watch commander at [phone] nights and weekends.

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