In the framework of the criminal case initiated in Vayots Dzor Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee on Vardush Simonyan’s murder one more count of murder has been found.

The 16 year-old young man N. Kh., who had been arrested on suspicion of murder, in the framework of the mentioned case confessed that Gohar Barseghyan had also been murdered by him on October 24, 2015 at about 19:00.

On October 24, 2015 at about 19:00 a call was received informing that the body of the resident of the village of Vernashen, Vayots Dzor region, Gohar Barseghyan, born in 1939, was found in the lot located at one of the houses of the same village.

According to the death certificate submitted by the forensic expert the cause of the woman’s death was acute disorder of vital functions of the brain caused by the mentioned craniocerebral injury.

A criminal case was initiated in Vayots Dzor Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee according to the Part 1 of the Article 104 of RA Criminal Code (murder).

A plan of investigatory actions was developed, possible hypotheses were propounded.

As the investigative body did not miss the fact that the golden rings had disappeared from both bodies, based on the propounded hypotheses, the persons engaged in buying and selling golden jewelry in the region were interrogated.  

16 year-old man was presented to be identified by the jewelers who had bought the golden rings of G. Barseghyan and V. Simonyan. They recognized and confirmed that the jewels had been offered to them by the person who was to be identified.

Under the circumstances of availability of evidence obtained in the result of urgent investigatory and procedural actions the minor N. Kh. confessed that G. Barseghyan had also been murdered by him. 

Particularly, on October 24, 2015 in the afternoon N. Kh. went to the village of Vernashen, Vayots Dzor region to find agricultural work, approached Gohar Barseghyan working in her garden and offered his service. Getting the latter’s agreement he began to pick apples during which he noticed the golden rings on the old woman’s ears.

Then he hit G. Barseghyan’s head with a spade lying under the tree in order to steal the mentioned golden earrings, he took the earrings off the woman’s ears and escaped. It was also found that the woman was wearing golden rings on her fingers, as well, which, however, were not stolen.

Investigatory experimentation was conducted in the presence of N. Kh., he pointed out G. Barseghyan’s garden and described all the circumstances of the case.

On November 2, 2015 the criminal cases initiated on G. Barseghyan and V. Simonyan’s murder were joint in one proceeding and charge was pressed against 16 year-old N. Kh. according to the Points 1 and 8 of the Part 2 of the Article 104 of RA Criminal Code (murder of two or more persons out of mercenary motives).

On the same day the investigator submitted a motion to the Court of First Instance of Vayots Dzor to choose detention as a pretrial measure against N. Kh. The motion was sufficed.

Preliminary investigation is ongoing.

Necessary investigatory and procedural actions are conducted to find all the circumstances of the case.

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.