Robbery by Father and Son: The Son Commits Suicide

The investigative department of the Ararat regional investigation directorate of the RA Investigative Committee has uncovered several criminal acts committed by a 43-year-old resident of Armavir province, including significant circumstances regarding a robbery carried out with his son.

Specifically, based on a decision made on June 20, 2022, criminal prosecution was initiated against this 43-year-old man under the articles of the RA Criminal Code, namely article 178, part 2, clause 2 and article 243.1, part 1. He was charged with exploiting the trust of a resident of the Zovuni community in Kotayk province in October 2021, purchasing a 'MERCEDES-BENZ E 230' vehicle for $3,000 with the agreement to pay in installments. After paying $700, he resold the vehicle and refused to pay the remaining amount, thereby defrauding the resident of Talin and causing significant financial damage.

Furthermore, despite being deprived of the right to drive for three years, he drove a vehicle in December 2021 and was caught by patrol officers. On June 28, 2022, he was placed under custody as a preventive measure, and a warrant for his arrest was issued.

It later emerged that the mentioned 43-year-old man had agreed with his son to commit a robbery and, for that purpose, ordered a taxi on November 25, 2023, at 23:26, traveling to the Ararat province in a taxi driven by a resident of Yerevan, an 'Opel Astra.' Upon arriving in a field near the village of Pokr Vedi, the father grabbed the driver's neck with his right hand and demanded that he hand over the 'Opel Astra' taxi, 11,000 AMD in cash, and a mobile phone worth 120,000 AMD, threatening to kill him if he did not comply. The driver was forced to meet these demands, after which the father and son left in the vehicle, causing a total property damage of 1,208,000 AMD to the resident of Talin.

For these criminal acts, both the 43-year-old man and his son have been criminally prosecuted under article 252, part 2, clauses 3 and 7 of the RA Criminal Code, and a warrant was also issued for his son’s arrest. During the criminal proceedings, operational information was obtained regarding the whereabouts of the wanted man. When officers from the Ararat division of the RA Police tried to arrest the suspect on December 22, 2023, in the yard of one of the houses in Pokr Vedi, he threatened them with a modified smoothbore gun of the model 'EKOL P29,' warning that he would kill them if they approached. Nevertheless, he was arrested. Another case has been initiated regarding this incident, which has been joined to the previous criminal case.

During the investigation, the suspect was finally charged under article 178, part 2, clause 2 of the RA Criminal Code (which corresponds to the current Criminal Code of Armenia article 255, part 2, clause 3), article 243.1, part 1 (which corresponds to the current article 344, part 1), and article 252, part 2, clauses 3 and 7, as well as article 334, part 1, and article 452, part 4, clause 2. The court has approved the investigator's request to uphold the custody measure imposed on him. The investigation concerning the 43-year-old man has been completed, and the materials have been sent to court with an indictment.

As for his son, it was revealed that on the evening of December 22, 2023, the same date the 43-year-old man was arrested, he committed suicide by detonating a grenade in a hotel in Ejmiadzin, Armavir province. Criminal proceedings against him have been terminated due to his death, and this part of the case has been closed. A separate criminal case has been initiated regarding the young man’s suicide, and the investigation is ongoing.