Preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated on murder committed on May 31, 2018 in Gegharkunik province is ongoing in the Department of Investigation of Crimes against Humanity of General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee. In the result of investigatory actions of great volume another murder apparently committed by the same persons was disclosed, as well.

It was earlier informed that within the criminal case investigated in General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee murder of 26 year-old man was disclosed. Charges were pressed against two persons, search was declared against one more person who was later found.

26 year-old man’s body was found on May 31, 2018 on the back seat of the car of “VAZ 21074” make parked on the road from Sevan peninsula to Sevan’s governmental country house with wounds on the head.

A criminal case was initiated in RA IC Gegharkunik Regional Investigative Department according to the Part 1 of the Article 104 of RA Criminal Code preliminary investigation of which is conducted in General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases.

Through preliminary investigation a number of circumstances of 26 year-old man’s murder were found out, the persons having committed the alleged crime were identified; they are three residents of the Republic of Georgia.

Particularly, on the day of the incident 26 year-old man who was a resident of Gyumri transported the foreigners – Georgian spouses and their friend to Sevan in his car of “VAZ 21074”.

It was found out that on the way they used alcohol, argued with the young driver during which they hit him on the head with stones for numerous times causing injuries incompatible with life. Then the mentioned persons took the 26 year-old man’s phone, took his golden ring with diamond off his finger which they later sold in one of the trade centers of Yerevan.

Through investigation data were also obtained that on September 12, 2017 Georgian spouses crossed RA border illegally with prior agreement bypassing the checkpoints of RA state border without a proper permission.

In the result of investigatory actions of great volume conducted within the mentioned criminal case investigated in General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee, as well as operative-intelligence measures taken by the employees of General Department of Criminal Intelligence of the RA Police another particularly grave crime committed by Georgian spouses was disclosed.

Thus, on January 15, 2018 at about 00:00 the body of the resident of Yerevan Anahit Alexanyan, born in 1947, who lived alone, was found lying in her bed. Through investigation data were obtained on the allegation that the woman had become a victim of murder.

Particularly, Georgian spouses got acquainted with Anahit Alexanyan through their acquaintance living in Armenia.

Getting informed that 71 year-old woman had saved 2.000 USD, as well as had golden and silver jewelry the persons having committed the alleged crime planned to steal them.

On January 13, 2018 Anahit Alexanyan invited the Georgian spouses to her apartment, treated them, they used alcohol together after which with the purpose of illegal deprivation from life combined with banditry out of mercenary motives strangled 71 year-old woman.

In order to imitate sudden death in her room they took off her clothes, put her in bed lying, put her clothes in order using gloves to conceal traces.

Pursuant to preliminary investigation data the persons having committed the alleged crime stole golden and silver jewelry of 1 891 000 AMD, as well as other things from the old woman’s apartment.

A decision was made to join the mentioned criminal cases in one proceeding and to continue preliminary investigation in one proceeding.

On the base of the obtained sufficient evidence the charge pressed against spouses changed and was added; charge was pressed against them according to the Points 7 and 8 of the Part 2 of the Article 104 of RA Criminal Code (2 counts) and the Part 2 of the Article 329 of RA Criminal Code. Detention was chosen as a pretrial measure against them.

Charge was pressed against the third person according to the Part 1 of the Article 334 of RA Criminal Code. Detention was chosen as a pretrial measure against him.

Preliminary investigation is ongoing. Measures are taken to provide the comprehensive, complete and objective investigation of circumstances of the case.

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