Joshua Camps, 29, has been convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and burglary for his role in the 2019 killing of Tushar Atre, a Santa Cruz tech and marijuana entrepreneur.
Prosecutors revealed that Atre, who ran a cannabis farm, created a toxic and abusive work environment, including forcing employees to do pushups as a form of humiliation. Camps, along with three other men, was involved in the brutal killing after a planned robbery went horribly wrong.
The Toxic Work Environment
Atre was known for being a harsh and demanding boss. Former employees, including Kaleb Charters and Stephen Lindsay, testified about the hostile work environment they endured at Atre’s cannabis farm. According to them, Atre’s behavior included belittling staff, withholding and bouncing paychecks, and firing employees at will, often creating an atmosphere where workers joked about robbing or harming him.
“Did Mr. Atre invoke fear in his employees so people would work harder for him?” Charters’ defense attorney asked a former employee. “Yes,” the employee replied, indicating the intense and fear-driven environment Atre had fostered.
The Murder and Robbery Plot
The crime unfolded when Kaleb Charters recruited Joshua Camps and his brother, Kurtis Charters, to take part in a planned robbery of $1 million at Atre’s home. The robbery, however, took a violent turn when Atre managed to escape briefly, only to be captured again. Prosecutors said that after Atre tried to flee, Camps repeatedly stabbed him. The men then forced Atre into a car and drove him to a Santa Cruz cannabis property to finish the job.
As they drove, Lindsay yelled at Atre, “Why are you so mean to people?” According to police, Camps later confessed that Atre begged for his life, but the men proceeded to kill him in cold blood.
Atre’s Abusive Actions Towards Employees
Witnesses came forward to describe Atre’s abusive behavior, particularly involving his workers at the marijuana farm. Charters and Lindsay, former U.S. National Guard members, testified that Atre forced them to perform extreme physical tasks like doing 500 pushups as a punishment. These events occurred just months before Atre’s murder, creating a backdrop of resentment that may have motivated the killing.
In his confession to police, Camps described how the men zip-tied Atre’s hands, shoved a sock in his mouth, and then brutalized him. Camps said Atre did not know who they were or what was happening. “He kept saying, ‘Please let me go,'” Camps recalled, describing Atre’s desperate pleas.
The Brutal Execution
After Atre attempted to escape, Camps admitted to stabbing him in the neck. He then shot Atre several times with an AR-15 rifle, including shots to the jaw and back of the head to ensure he would not survive. In his confession, Camps said, “He wasn’t going to last much longer. I knew he was going to die.”
Sentencing and Aftermath
Kaleb Charters, Stephen Lindsay, and Kurtis Charters were all sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for their involvement in the murder. Joshua Camps is due for sentencing on March 19, 2026.
