Sun Valley Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Ex-Boyfriend's Killing

LOS ANGELES, CA — A 37-year-old man was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for his ex-boyfriend's killing in Sun Valley in what authorities said was a plot to collect on a $2.5 million life insurance payout.

"This is just the unfortunate, tragic end of the pure evil of greed," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen said before imposing the sentence on Hovanes "John" Maskovian for the April 24, 2013, killing of Joshua West, 33.

Maskovian was convicted June 24 of first-degree murder and attempted kidnapping.

Jurors also found true the special circumstance allegations of murder for financial gain, murder while lying in wait and murder during an attempted kidnapping.

Maskovian's younger brother, Hachik "Kriss" Maskovian, 31, was convicted June 23 by a separate jury of the same charges, with the panel finding true the same special circumstance allegations. That jury rejected allegations that Hachik Maskovian personally discharged or used a handgun during the commission of the crime.

He is also facing life in prison without the possibility of his parole, with his scheduled sentencing Friday expected to be postponed.

The victim's stepfather, Joseph DeRobbio, told Hovanes Maskovian, "You and your brother have successfully ripped apart several families, and all for your own greed and selfishness ... I don't forgive you. I will never forgive you or your brother. I want nothing but suffering on your part."

One of the victim's friends, Catherine Nowes-Whitaker, said she had hoped and prayed that Maskovian was incapable of being involved in a plot to murder her best friend and was "not seeing him for the truly evil person that he is."

Another of the victim's friends, Guadalupe Soto, called Hovanes Maskovian "evil" and told him he had "destroyed so many lives."

In his opening statement in the brothers' trial, Deputy District Attorney Geoff Lewin called the attack on West "brutally horrific."

"Joshua West would not go quickly and he would not go quietly," Lewin told jurors, noting that a tire iron, a cutting instrument, a car and a gun were used to "finally silence his screams."

West had broken up with Hovanes Maskovian, but the two continued living together for financial reasons as Hovanes Maskovian's bills continued to mount up, the prosecutor said.

"There is one bill that John will pay," Lewin said, referring to life insurance policies that Hovanes Maskovian and West had applied for in 2009. Two life insurance policies were issued -- $2.5 million on West's life and $3.5 million on Hovanes Maskovian's life. Hovanes Maskovian was the primary beneficiary on West's policy, while the second beneficiary was the victim's brother, the prosecutor said.

The prosecutor called the evidence against the Maskovians "absolutely overwhelming," noting that a pair of gloves found in a canyon about two miles from the murder scene tested positive for DNA linked t Hachik Maskovian and the victim.

Hovanes Maskovian's attorney, Albert DeBlanc Jr., told jurors in his opening statement his client had "no intent to hurt Josh ever" and maintained that the two had a "close, loving relationship" and were still living together.

He said he believed the case would show that his client intended to rescue West.

"You're going to know that my client John Maskovian is not guilty," he said.

Hachik Maskovian's attorney, Alex Kessel, told jurors, "My client had nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with shooting the victim. Kriss did not conspire with anyone to kill the victim."

He said his client and his older brother had separate lifestyles and that Hachik Maskovian had financially helped his brother in the past, but wasn't particularly close to him.

Co-defendant Nazaret "Nick" Bayamdzhyan, 22, is awaiting trial separately in connection with the killing.

— City News Service, photo via Shutterstock