Target Offers to Rehire Fired Security Official

Hoping to end a public relations nightmare, Target Stores announced Tuesday that it wants to rehire a security official who says he was fired for his role in the successful search for Ventura murder victim Sherri Dally.

The Minneapolis-based department store chain also apologized for firing John Avila, 35, Friday as head of security at its Ventura store after an outpouring of customer and community support for the worker.

“Target made an inappropriate decision to terminate John Avila, and we are sorry for the anguish that this has caused our employee and the family of Sherri Dally,” said a statement issued by corporate officials. “We apologize.”

Target spokeswoman Susan Eich acknowledged that the company’s action had led to threats of boycott.

“We did hear from quite a few customers in Minneapolis and at our store in Ventura,” she said. “We appreciate their calls and their concerns.”

She would not say if the store officials responsible for Avila’s dismissal would themselves be reprimanded.

Target has refused to comment on why Avila was fired in the first place. But Avila said he was abruptly dismissed last week for using company letterhead, four walkie-talkies and the store parking lot while helping to organize a series of searches for Dally, a longtime friend who was kidnapped from the Target parking lot May 6.

The skeletal remains of Dally, 35, a Ventura homemaker, mother of two and day care center operator, were found by the citizens patrol June 1.

On Tuesday, Avila said he will discuss his options with a lawyer before deciding whether to return to Target. He has received several other job offers since his firing was reported Saturday, his wife Leslie said.

Avila and other members of the citizens team that found Dally’s body have been praised by police and by Dally’s family for acting on their concern.

Meanwhile, investigators searched the house of Diana J. Haun, 34, their prime suspect in the case, who was arrested about a month ago but released for lack of evidence. Authorities would not comment on what was seized. Law enforcement sources said previously that Dally’s husband, Michael, who once worked with Haun at an Oxnard grocery store, is a suspect.