REWARD PROPOSED IN RANCH SLAYING RETIRED PLASTIC SURGEON, 64, SHOT TO DEATH WHILE FEEDING LIVESTOCK.

Byline: CHARLES F. BOSTWICK Staff Writer

LANCASTER -- A $10,000 reward was proposed Friday in the mysterious slaying of a retired plastic surgeon shot to death while feeding livestock at his west Lancaster ranch.

Los Angeles County supervisors are expected Tuesday to approve Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich's proposal for the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer of Dr. Esfandiar ``Steve'' Kadivar.

``His death is a tragic loss for our community,'' said Antonovich, who had known Kadivar for years.

The surgeon's family was due out at the 160-acre ranch Friday to determine whether anything was missing that might have been stolen by the killer, sheriff's homicide Lt. Dave Smith said.

Smith said detectives are following up leads.

``I'm confident we'll get places with this one, but it will take a bit,'' Smith said Friday of the investigation.

The 64-year-old Kadivar, who had practiced in the Antelope Valley from 1976 to 2003 and had owned the ranch for years, has a home in Beverly Hills where he lives with his wife as well as the ranch, Smith said.

Kadivar had arrived about 10 a.m. Thursday at the ranch, which is surrounded by grassland about 10 miles west of Lancaster and about a mile from its nearest neighbor.

It appears Kadivar had backed up an old Chevrolet pickup truck to pens containing goats and cattle and was unloading hay to feed them when he was shot, Smith said.

Kadivar appeared to have been shot at close range, Smith said. He was found dead by a ranch worker, who called authorities about 11:15 p.m. Thursday.

Friends described Kadivar as a diligent doctor with no apparent enemies. He grew up on a farm in Iran, and at the west Lancaster ranch raised cattle, goats, alfalfa and pistachios.