College Student Brutally Murdered In 1979: Riverside Police Continue Hunt For His Killers

RIVERSIDE, CA — Nearly 47 years ago, a 25-year-old Riverside City College student was shot to death in an apartment not far from campus. All these years later, his killers remain at large.

On Tuesday, the Riverside Police Department shared a brief overview of the case on its social media pages. The hope is that someone will come forward with new leads that could bring some justice for the victim's family.

The victim

A late-1970s image of Massoud Salari shows him standing next to a lion statue at the fountains of the Circus Circus Hotel, Casino in Las Vegas. Wearing glasses, a beard, a white long-sleeve button-down shirt, and gray trousers, Salari is smiling for whoever took the photo.

The image is one of two that Riverside PD shared Tuesday of the victim.

The other photo shows police officers outside an apartment building, the one in which Salari was killed. The image clearly shows a homicide investigation underway.

The investigation

At about 9:30 p.m. on November 6, 1979, the Riverside Police Department received a call about a possible burglary at the apartment building in the 1700 block of 7th Street. A security guard reported the incident.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found evidence of a forced entry into one of the apartment units. Inside, they discovered Salari suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The security guard who reported the suspicious activity told police that he saw two males leaving the area on foot, shortly before officers arrived. Their identities are unknown.

Further information about the investigation was not released, nor was information about the victim, who would have been in his 70s today.

Anyone who might have information that could help bring closure in the Salari case is asked to contact the Riverside Police Department's Homicide Cold Case Unit at 951-353-8000 or email HomicideColdCase@Riversideca.gov