Victim in Santa Cruz kidnapping died of gunshot wound

SANTA CRUZ Calif. (KTVU) - The tech executive who was abducted from his home in Santa Cruz on Tuesday died of a gunshot wound, the sheriff's office confirmed. 

Authorities say around 3 a.m, Tushar Atre, 50, was taken from his home on Pleasure Point Road and forced into his girlfriend's BMW. 

Later that day, the vehicle and an unidentified body were found on Soquel San Jose Road, near the summit, in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Deputies confirmed on Wednesday that the body was of the missing man. 

Atre is the founder and CEO of AtreNet, a web marketing and design agency that's based in Santa Cruz. His website shows numerous clients, primarily in the South Bay and Peninsula areas. 

Officials are investigating his past dealings to try and discover who would want to kidnap him, but they say the motive appears to be robbery.