Preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated on murder committed in Hrazdan gorge on June 23 is ongoing in the Investigative Division of Kentron and Norq-Marash administrative districts of Yerevan Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee. In the result of comprehensive investigatory actions of great volume conducted in the framework of the criminal case evidence excluding the suspect L. Stepanyan’s involvement in murder were obtained and on June 26 he was released from custody.
 

It was earlier informed that on June 23, 2016 at 23:25 a call was received informing that there was a body on the way from church “Surb Sargis” to Hrazdan gorge.
 

The investigatory group left for the site immediately. The body of A. Poghosyan, born in 1967, with numerous injuries on the head was found in Hrazdan gorge - at the open area at about 200 meters distance from administrative building of Nuclear Energy Institute.
 

A criminal case was initiated in the Investigative Division of Kentron and Norq-Marash administrative districts of Yerevan Investigative Department according to the Part 1 of the Article 104 of RA Criminal Code.

On June 24, 2016 at 00:30 a call was received from “Armenia” Republican Medical Center informing that 45 year-old L. Stepanyan with diagnosis of “head trauma” was taken to hospital from petrol station located near stadium “Hrazdan”.  
 

In the result of urgent investigatory actions conducted in the framework of the criminal case it was found that the two calls were interrelated, during the row 45 year-old L. Stepanyan sustained heavy bodily injury, A. Poghosyan sustained injury incompatible with life.
 

On the base of the evidence obtained through preliminary investigation L. Stepanyan was arrested on suspicion of murder and examinations were commissioned to find circumstances significant for the criminal case, necessary investigatory actions were conducted to verify initial data, circumstances mentioned in the testimonies. As a result, sufficient data were obtained on the allegation that a third person – 16 year-old teenager was also involved in the row erupted in Hrazdan gorge, he was identified. The latter was interrogated; the testimonies given by him were compared with other evidence obtained through investigation according to which during the row the minor boy hit with a stone L. Stepanyan on the face who had used alcoholic drink and after he had escaped the minor also hit A. Poghosyan on his face with stones.   
 

On the base of the evidence on June 26 L. Stepanyan was released from custody and was found an injured party. On June 27 charge was pressed against 16 year-old boy according to the Parts 1 of the Article 104 and 112 of RA Criminal Code. A motion was submitted to court to use detention as a pretrial measure against him. The motion was sufficed.
 

Preliminary investigation of the criminal case is ongoing.
 

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