Crime & Safety
Updated: District Attorney Files Murder Charge Against Tujunga Man in Cousin's Death
Aram Sarukhanyan was moved from Huntington Memorial Hospital to the Los Angeles County Jail. His bail is set at $1 million.
A murder charge was filed against Aram Sarukhanyan, 27, of Tujunga in the shooting death of his cousin, Adrine Arzumanyan, whose body was found dumped along the 210 freeway last week.
Homicide detective Lt. Michael Rosson of the , confirmed that the L.A. County District Attorney has filed murder charges.
Updated: Deputy District Attorney Lee Mitchell of the Pasadena Branch Office said in a statement that Sarukhanyan is expected to be arraigned following his release from the hospital in Department D of Pasadena Superior Court.
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Sarukhanyan is charged with one count each of murder and brandishing a firearm at a person in a motor vehicle.
Sarukhanyan is accused of fatally shooting his cousin, Adrine Arzumanyan, 33, then pointing a handgun at a civilian who tried to stop him immediately after he dumped the victim’s body near the La Crescenta Avenue off-ramp on the westbound Foothill freeway, the DA's office said in a news release.
If convicted as charged, Sarukhanyan faces a maximum prison term of more than 50 years to life, the office said.
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Previously: On April 29, the body of Arzumanyan was discovered along the side of the westbound 210 freeway at La Crescenta Avenue. The Los Angeles County Coroner cited "multiple gunshot wounds" as the cause of her death following an autopsy.
As deputies investigated the crime scene, Sarukhanyan was found alongside the southbound 2 freeway at Mountain Street. Sarukhanyan, who was seen with Arzumanyan, his cousin, had apparently attempted suicide by shooting himself. Read Patch's coverage .
After being released from Huntington Memorial Hospital on May 10, Sarukhanyan is being held at the Los Angeles County Jail in the medical ward. His bail is set at $1 million.
Lt. Rosson confirmed that Sarukhanyan is not married, and that he had a gun registered in his name. Detectives are unable to question him, pending permission from his doctors, and at this time, cannot comment on possible motives.
Stay with Patch for continued coverage of this story.
An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported Sarukhanyan's age. Patch regrets the error.
