Man Kills Ex-Wife Near Zvouni Communication Tower and Commits Suicide; Case Closed

On March 11, 2022, a 46-year-old man killed himself after exploding a grenade and killing his ex-wife in the Zvouni community of Kotayk Province. The criminal proceedings regarding this incident have been closed, the Investigative Committee of Armenia reported in response to a written inquiry from NEWS.am.

It was noted that a criminal case had been initiated by the Kotayk regional investigative department of the Investigative Committee based on the characteristics of murder, as well as illegal acquisition and possession of weapons and ammunition. The investigator decided to close the proceedings two and a half months after the incident, on May 31, 2022, based on the death of Artak Danielyan.

According to a response sent to the media, “The investigation has clarified all possible circumstances of the case; particularly, with a sufficient combination of gathered evidence, it has been established that Artak Danielyan, having previously planned unlawfully and deliberately to take the life of his ex-wife, Nelly Nersesyan, obtained a grenade, which is military ammunition, under unclear circumstances, and on March 11, 2022, while pursuing his wife, dragged her to an area adjacent to the communication tower on 7th Street of Zvouni community, where, in a manner dangerous to the lives of many, he killed her by detonating the grenade and subsequently committed suicide.”

It is worth noting that the deceased had four children, two of whom are minors. After the incident, relatives informed NEWS.am that the ex-husband had continuously threatened his wife, and she had reported it to the police several times. Nelly had also sought assistance from the Women’s Support Center prior to the incident, spoke with specialists, but declined to move to a shelter intended for women subjected to violence, citing concerns about not wanting to disrupt her children's education.

In this regard, NEWS.am inquired whether an assessment was made during the investigation regarding the failure or improper execution of duties by officials, particularly concerning the lack of response to previous reports made by Nelly N. about offenses committed by her ex-husband and other alleged actions. The Investigative Committee clarified that “In connection with Nelly Nersesyan’s reports about stalking, threats, and domestic violence by her husband, a complete, objective, and multifaceted investigation was conducted within the framework of previously initiated criminal cases, which were later merged with the case regarding the murder incident, through which their processes were resolved,” while avoiding the question regarding the alleged failure of law enforcement to fulfill their duties related to the mentioned case.