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-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update Posted On: 9/12/2005 5:21:37 AM
Press Release
Monday, September 12, 2005
ADVISORY: Sgt. Tom Lorenz will be available for sound at the Glendale Police Department at 530 a.m. 131 N. Isabel Street, Glendale, CA. 91206
818-535-1958
Open attachment for pictures.
The Glendale Police Department Detectives are investigating the death of Odet Tsaturyan a 24 year-old woman who was last seen by her family on September 6, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. Ms. Tsaturyan’s boyfriend, Artur Khanzadyan, was also last seen 9-6-05 at 6:30 p.m., but was reported missing on 9-7-05 at 8:00 p.m., a day later. Both are residents of Glendale.
On 9-9-05 at approx 8:00 p.m. the Azusa police department located Artur Khanzadyan’s 2005 Audi on a residential street in their city. When Glendale police responded to impound the vehicle, a woman’s body was found in the trunk of the car.
On 9-10-05 at approximately 3:00 p.m., the Coroner’s office positively identified the deceased as Odet Tsaturyan through fingerprints. The cause of death has not been determined as of this time. The Glendale Police Department is concerned for Mr. Khanzadyan’s safety and is seeking the public’s assistance in locating him. He is still listed as a missing person and his whereabouts are unknown.
We are also looking for the whereabouts of the decedent’s vehicle, a 2002 two-door silver Honda Accord license number 4VAM520. Anyone with any information or sightings of Artur Khanzadyan is asked to contact the Glendale Police Department.
The Detectives are working with very little information and is asking for the public’s assistance with any information in regards to either Ms. Odet Tsaturayan or Artur Khanzadyan.
Please the call Homicide Detectives at 818-548-3987 Monday thru Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 818-548-4911, 24 hours a day. Persons who wish to remain anonymous may call our Crime Stoppers Hotline at 818-507-STOP.
Pictures of both are available by e-mailing: tlorenz@ci.glendale.ca.us
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update Posted On: 9/12/2005 8:39:51 AM
Additional Pictures of the Victim, Missing, Missing Vehicle and the Audi the women was found in are available by e-mailing tlorenz@ci.glendale.ca.us . The picture of the Audi is being released in the hopes that someone saw it and provide information to the Detectives that will assist them in their investigation.
The missing, Artur Khanzadyan, is also a resident of Glendale and resides in the 1900 block of W. Glenoaks Blvd. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update Posted On: 9/14/2005 9:12:23 AM
Update from 9/13/2005
Officer Rick Baker, of the Glendale Police Department, while on patrol in the area of 600 block of Paula Avenue, located a gray Honda Accord. Since an APB had been put out regarding a vehicle matching that description, he ran the license plate and found that it was Victim Odet Tsaturyan’s vehicle in the “Death Investigation” case. The Detectives and the Forensics Unit are at the scene and conducting an investigation. An autopsy was conducted today by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office. However, they have yet to determine the cause of death of Victim Tsaturyan. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update Posted On: 9/14/2005 2:05:36 PM
On September 13, 2005 the Glendale Police Department located the victim’s car in the area 600 block of Paula Avenue in the City of Glendale. Officer Rick Baker, while on patrol, was on the look out for any silver Honda when he found the victim’s car. Detectives, Forensic Specialists and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s scent tracking bloodhound responded to the scene. The bloodhound tracked a scent from the location of the vehicle to the boyfriend’s residence located in the 1900 block of W. Glenoaks Blvd. in the city of Glendale.
During the past several days, with the assistance of local media, the Glendale Police Department has asked for the public’s assistance in providing the Detectives with any information that may assist them. As a result, we have received numerous calls from friends and family. The Detectives have received information that there have been acts of violence between the two; however no reports have been made to the police.
The Coroner’s Office has conducted an autopsy; however they have yet to determine the proximate cause of death pending further examination.
The Detectives now consider Artur Khanzadyan, 24 years, a suspect in the homicide of Odet Tsaturyan also 24 years.
The Glendale Police Department has released a recent photo of the suspect and has posted it on the police website. www.police.ci.glendale.ca.us -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update Posted On: 8/18/2006 3:50:19 PM
On Sunday August 20, 2006, Glendale Police Detectives will be traveling to Yerevan Armenia to monitor and assist with the General Prosecution Office in the trial proceedings of Artur Khanzadyan who is being tried for the murder of Odet Tsaturyan. Odet Tsaturyan’s father will also be traveling to represent the family here in the United States. The family has endured many hardships and are not financially sound. The Glendale Police Officer’s Association in conjunction with St. Peter’s Armenian Church, have graciously offered to assist in purchasing the plane ticket for Odet’s father to travel to Armenia.
Agent John Balian
Glendale Police Department
Public Information Officer
818-355-8756 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update Posted On: 9/1/2006 5:03:50 PM
The trial of Artur Khanzadyan began on August 22, 2006, at 11:15 a.m., in Vanadzor, Armenia. The court consisted of the presiding Judge, Mushegh Harutunyan, the prosecutors, Gevork Yeremyan and Rafik Arshakyan and the defense attorney, Karine Gasparyan. Only three witnesses testified Odet’s father, Shagen Tsaturyan, Artur Khanzadyan’s brother Argishti Khanzadyan.
On August 25, 2006, the trial resumed as the prosecutor discussed his closing arguments of the case. The defense attorney discussed that Khanzadyan did not intentionally kill Odet Tsaturyan, but accidentally stopped her breathing by placing his hand over her mouth. He then tried to administer mouth to mouth resuscitation, but was unsuccessful. The defense argued the injury to the victim’s neck, was caused by Khanzadyan administering CPR and not by strangling her. The defense argued the court had denied Khanzadyan the right to be psychologically evaluated. It was brought up that Khanzadyan suffered from a head injury as a child, which causes him to not think rationally. The prosecutor countered by asking why his medical problem was never brought up before until now. The defense also argued that they were never given the opportunity to cross examine the coroner. During their closing argument, the defense suggested that if Odet Tsaturyan were alive she would have never accused Khanzadyan of intentionally trying to harm her.
The court asked if Khanzadyan wished to make a statement prior to the verdict being read to him. He apologized to anyone who was affected by this, but he denied that he intentionally killed Odet Tsaturyan. He never once apologized to Odet Tsaturyan’s father, Shagen Tsaturyan who was seated several feet from him. At times during the trial Shagen Tsaturyan was given an opportunity to question Khanzadyan. At one point Khanzadyan made disparaging remarks to him that his daughter was not the angel he thought she was. The judge chastised Khanzadyan to be respectful toward Shagen Tsaturyan when addressing him.
The judge played for the members of the court and the audience an Armenian news clip presented by Officer John Balian at the beginning of the investigation when Khanzadyan had fled to Armenia. A video tape was then played showing Khanzadyan at the Las Vegas hotel hours after the murder. The judge asked Khanzadyan if he was the individual in the video and he admitted that it was him.
The prosecutor then concluded with his closing arguments summarizing the entire case. He asked the court to find Khanzadyan guilty and that he be sentenced to 11 years. The defense then argued her closing argument and stated that Khanzadyan was falsely arrested by the Armenian police who detained him for three weeks before he was officially charged. They argued that the death of Odet Tsaturyan was accidental and not intentionally. Khanzadyan did not deserve a severe punishment because he did not have a violent criminal record. The judge called for a short recess to render a decision.
At 6:45 p.m., the judge entered the court room and read the verdict. Based on the police reports by the Glendale Police Department and photographs of the evidence provided Khanzadyan was found guilty for the murder of Odet Tsaturyan with the act of jealousy. He was sentenced for 10 yrs in their prison system. The case will be sent to country’s state department, which will determine where he will serve his time. An appellate process, if Khanzadyan’s decides to appeal the case could take affect in one or two months.
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