LITTLE ARMENIA FAMILY NEARLY WIPED OUT BY MOM’S STALKER, COPS SAY
Carlin DeGuerin Miller
CBS News
65-504083.html
April 23 2010
LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) The 13-year-old sole survivor from an Armenian
immigrant family gunned down in two incidents may be one step closer
to seeing justice done for her family. In December 2008, the girl
returned home to find her father and 8-year-old sister shot dead.
Eighteen months later, she found her mother shot dead in her car.
The break in the case came Monday when detectives received new
information that led them to investigate Alberd Tersargyan, an Armenian
immigrant who was reportedly a friend of the family.
Los Angeles police announced that they have arrested the man they
believe may be responsible for both the 2009 murder of Karine Hakobyan,
and the 2008 deaths of her husband, Khachik Safaryan and their daughter
Lusine Safaryan. Police say Tersargyan, of Los Angeles, may have been
obsessed with Hakobyan, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Police initially arrested Tersargyan for weapons violations after
finding several handguns and rifles, none of which were believed to
be registered. Capt. Kevin McClure said ballistics tests linked a
small-caliber handgun to the March 26 slaying of Hakobyan, who was
shot to death in a carport at her apartment complex.
Investigators believe Tersargyan may be responsible for the 2008
deaths because the family knew him as a friend, McClure said. "He
had the ability to go to the house."
Tersargyan’s arraignment was continued until May 6 and the public
defender’s office did not immediately know which of its attorneys
had been assigned to Tersargyan’s case.