Joshua Camps, 29, has been convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and burglary in the brutal 2019 slaying of Tushar Atre, a Santa Cruz tech CEO and marijuana entrepreneur.
Camps, along with three co-conspirators, was involved in a horrific robbery and murder that unfolded amidst a toxic and abusive work environment Atre allegedly fostered at his cannabis farm.
The Murder of Tushar Atre
On the day of the murder, Atre was kidnapped from his home by Kaleb Charters, Stephen Lindsay, Kurtis Charters, and Camps after a planned robbery for $1 million went awry. Prosecutors said Atre managed to briefly escape, but was quickly recaptured.
Joshua Camps then began stabbing Atre repeatedly before the group threw him into a vehicle, where they drove him to a Santa Cruz cannabis property to finish the brutal attack.
During the drive, Lindsay reportedly shouted, “Why are you so mean to people?” in reference to the ongoing abuse Atre allegedly inflicted on his employees. Atre was ultimately stabbed and shot multiple times in the head and neck, and the group left him to die.
Toxic Work Environment and Abusive Behavior
The shocking nature of the crime was compounded by testimony from former employees, who described the hostile work environment created by Atre. Employees testified that they were humiliated by Atre, who allegedly forced them to do pushups in exchange for their paychecks.
Kaleb Charters and Stephen Lindsay, both former National Guard members, recounted how Atre had once demanded they complete 500 pushups as punishment for a minor mistake.
Charters also testified about working for $200 a day in grueling conditions on Atre’s cannabis farm, working 10 days straight without proper compensation or support. Charters and Lindsay described Atre as a bullying, volatile employer who withheld paychecks, yelled at workers, and fired employees at his whim.
“He was flipping out. He was going to cancel the checks,” Charters said in court.
The Plot to Rob and Kill Atre
The murder plot was allegedly set in motion after the Charters brothers and Lindsay lost keys to a farm vehicle, which caused Atre to fly into a violent rage.
This incident occurred just two months before Atre’s tragic death. According to prosecutors, the men decided to rob Atre of his fortune, and when things escalated, they resorted to kidnapping and murder.
In a confession played for the jury, Joshua Camps admitted to stabbing Atre in the neck after he tried to escape, and later shooting him in the jaw and back of the head with an AR-15 rifle to end his suffering. “He wasn’t going to last much longer,” Camps reportedly said.
The Sentencing and Aftermath
Kaleb Charters, Stephen Lindsay, and Kurtis Charters were all convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole for their involvement in the murder. Camps is due to be sentenced on March 19, 2026, and will likely face a lengthy prison sentence.
This case has drawn attention to the dangers of toxic work environments and the consequences of unchecked workplace abuse. Despite the brutality of the crime, the economic desperation of Atre’s workers led to a tragic end, highlighting the vulnerability of employees in exploitative workplaces.
