CLUES REVEALED IN HOMICIDE SPOTTING STOLEN RARE COINS, FIREARMS COULD LEAD TO SURGEON'S KILLER.

Byline: GIDEON RUBIN Staff Writer

LANCASTER -- In a plea for help from the public to solve the mysterious slaying of a prominent retired Antelope Valley plastic surgeon, a top sheriff's official made several clues public Monday and announced an increase in reward money for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.

Flanked by six relatives of victim Dr. Esfandiar ``Steve'' Kadivar and county Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, Capt. Ray Peavy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's homicide bureau identified items stolen from Kadivar's ranch that he believes, if spotted, could solve the case.

Homicide Detective Scott Fines said the 64-year-old Kadivar suffered devastating gunshot wounds at his sprawling 160-acre Antelope Valley ranch, about 10 miles west of Lancaster, on July 5, 2006.

Kadivar was feeding his farm animals that afternoon or early evening when he was the victim of what Antonovich called ``a cowardly act.''

Kadivar lived in the Antelope Valley for more than 30 years. He worked at Antelope Valley Hospital for 27 years before retiring in 2003. He also had private offices in Palmdale and Beverly Hills.

Peavy said someone took a safe, containing two types of rare gold coins from Kadivar's native Iran, and two firearms. The items were taken from a structure on the ranch about a quarter mile from where Kadivar's body was found.

The coins were identified as 38.5-millimeter -- about the size of a half-dollar -- Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi Coronation Memorial and 23-mm One Pahlavi -- about the size of a quarter -- gold pieces.

``These are obviously coins you're not going to see on a normal day,'' Peavy said. ``These coins could be the key to solving this murder.''

Also taken from the property were two high-power Browning hunting rifles: a .30-.06 caliber and a .300 Winchester magnum caliber. Both had scopes and blond wood stocks.

The combined worth of the stolen property is believed to be in excess of $250,000, Peavy said.

Peavy said investigators haven't established a motive for the killing and acknowledged that they have little to work on.

He said his department needs public information on the case. He announced an increase from $10,000 to $50,000 in the reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.

The victim's sister, Hakimeh Kadivar, made an impassioned plea for public support.

``He responded to so many wounds,'' she said. ``(Now) let's repair some of the wounds of our family.

``We need your help.''

Anyone with information is asked to contact homicide investigators Fines or Gary Sica by calling [phone] or logging onto www.lacountymurders.com. The case's file number is 006-14595-1188-011.

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A poster shows some rare gold coins and two high-power rifles that were taken from the house of slaying victim Dr. Esfandiar ``Steve'' Kadivar, killed on July 5, 2006.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News