Council Offers $25,000 for Key Information in Killing : Reward: A Van Nuys machinist was fatally shot when he came to his girlfriend’s aid during a robbery.

A $25,000 reward was offered by the City Council on Tuesday for information leading to a conviction in the death of a Van Nuys machinist who was shot when he tried to help his girlfriend as she was being pushed to the street by a robber.

The City Council approved the reward--the highest offered recently--because of the heinous nature of the Oct. 27 slaying of Fernando Hernandez, 19, Councilman Joel Wachs said.

“The killing of an innocent, hard-working man for no reason is one of the cruelest and cowardly acts,” Wachs said. “We want his murderer.”

Detective Steve Hooks said Hernandez and his girlfriend had just gotten off a bus about 7 p.m. and were walking in the 15400 block of Vanowen Street when they were approached by two men.

One of the men grabbed the 38-year-old woman’s purse and shoved her down, Hooks said.

As she was falling, Hernandez moved to catch her.

The detective said this action prompted one of the men to pull out a handgun and shoot Hernandez in the head.

Hooks stressed that Hernandez had done nothing to provoke the shooting.

Hooks asked that the girlfriend not be identified as a safety precaution.

City Council rewards offered in murder cases are routinely set at $15,000.

Wachs said the higher amount in this case does not reflect a new reward level or an assignment of value to a killing.

He said the council considers reward amounts on a case-by-case basis.

He said he requested a $25,000 reward after consulting detectives and learning details of the case, some of which he said he could not reveal because it might hinder the investigation.

“I felt that given the nature of the crime . . . that we ought to do what we can to provide any incentive” for a person with information to come forward, Wachs said. “I think this is a small amount, if it works.”

Detectives said rewards are often helpful in solving cases and they were hoping for the same good fortune that occurred last month when Wachs announced a $15,000 reward in another Van Nuys slaying, the Aug. 7 shooting of Julian Contreras at a local park.

Three hours after an Oct. 2 news conference announcing the reward, an informant learned of it and contacted police, providing information that led to an arrest.

Hooks said the case illustrates the value of the council’s reward program because the informant had been interviewed earlier by police but had refused to cooperate.

“After the reward was put up, he called up and said, ‘Now, I’ll tell you who did it,’ ” Hooks said.