City News Service
April 27, 2004 Tuesday

Man Pleads Innocent to Nephew’s Slaying

PASADENA

A man accused of killing his 18-year-old nephew in Glendale six
months ago and fleeing to Armenia before returning voluntarily to the
United States pleaded innocent today to a murder charge. Gaik
Shakhmuradyan, 33, was jailed on $2 million bail pending a Friday
appearance in Pasadena Superior Court. A date is scheduled to be set
then for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to send
him on to trial. Shakhmuradyan is charged with murder for the Oct. 20
shooting death of Edvin Isagulyan. Isagulyan was gunned down in the
500 block of South Glendale Avenue. After the crime, detectives
determined the suspect was the victim’s uncle, but received no
cooperation from the family, Glendale police Lt. Jon Perkins said
yesterday. The detectives eventually learned the suspect had fled to
Abovyan, Armenia, Perkins said. Glendale detectives went to Armenia
and, with help from the United States Embassy and Armenian law
enforcement officials, found and spoke with Shakhmuradyan, according
to the detective. Shakhmuradyan returned to Los Angeles last
Thursday, accompanied by a Glendale police detective who went to
Armenia to question him, the lieutenant said. “During interviews, the
suspect offered to voluntarily return to the United States and face
the pending charges against him,” Perkins said. “We believe this is
the first time that an individual who has fled to Armenia has
returned to the United States to face murder charges,” he added.