COUNCIL APPROVES REWARDS FOR INFO POLICE ARE HOPING TO BRING ATTENTION BACK TO TWO CASES.

Byline: JOSH KLEINBAUM Staff Writer

David Cosgrove was walking home from a Van Nuys bar with his nephew more than two years ago when he was shot to death during an armed robbery.

Jonathan McGinnis was killed May 16 when he lost control of his car in a street race with another motorist.

Police are still looking for the gunman in Cosgrove's death and the other driver in the deadly street race.

On Friday, the Los Angeles City Council approved $25,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects in either case.

``The reason the City Council did this is to put (the Cosgrove case) back in the public eye, or at least their thoughts,'' said LAPD Lt. Neal Fine, who supervises Van Nuys-area homicide detectives. ``Sometimes a reward does pay off and we receive good information.''

Cosgrove, 21, and his nephew were approached by two men demanding money at 4 a.m. March 14, 2004. The nephew turned and ran. When he heard gunshots, he turned back and saw Cosgrove on the ground and the suspects running away.

Police have few clues in the case.

McGinnis, 19, was racing down Vanowen Street at 8:45 p.m. May 16 when his car skidded into oncoming traffic, hit a parked motor home and then crashed into a car driven by a student driver.

Witnesses told police that McGinnis was racing against another car on the long, flat stretch of Vanowen Street. Police are still looking for the driver of that car, which may have been blue.

Police are asking anyone with information on the Cosgrove shooting to contact Van Nuys homicide detectives at [phone], and anyone with information on the McGinnis crash to call Valley Traffic detectives at [phone] or [phone].

josh.kleinbaum(at)dailynews.com

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