Hollywood killer slashed woman's throat, shot her in head, coroner says

A woman found slain at a Hollywood carport -- one of three family members killed under mysterious circumstances -- was shot in the head and slashed in the throat with a knife, according to the L.A. County Coroner's Office.

The new details come as the Los Angeles Police Department continues to investigate the killings.

Detectives on the case are looking into the possibility that the crimes might be connected to a personal relationship involving the father of the family, a law enforcement source told The Times.

Police have said they have no evidence that the victims were linked to any criminal activities either in L.A. or in Armenia, where they emigrated from in 2003. Authorities said they have several theories in the case but have declined to provide details.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said one angle detectives are pursuing involved a "personal relationship" that soured involving Khachik Safaryan.

He was found shot to death along with his 9-year-old daughter at the family's apartment in 2008. They were discovered by his other daughter, who was 12 at the time. Then 18 months later, on Friday night, the girl discovered her mother -- Karine Hakobyan, 38 -- shot to death in her car outside an apartment a few blocks away.

"We just want them to find the people who did this so they can finally get their punishment," the girl told The Times in an interview this week.

-- Anthony Pesce and Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Crime scene in Friday's shooting. Credit: Katie Falkenberg / For The Times

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Detectives on the case are looking into the possibility that the crimes might be connected to a personal relationship involving the father of the family, a law enforcement source told The Times.

Police have said they have no evidence that the victims were linked to any criminal activities either in L.A. or in Armenia, where they emigrated from in 2003. Authorities said they have several theories in the case but have declined to provide details.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said one angle detectives are pursuing involved a "personal relationship" that soured involving Khachik Safaryan.

He was found shot to death along with his 9-year-old daughter at the family's apartment in 2008. They were discovered by his other daughter, who was 12 at the time. Then 18 months later, on Friday night, the girl discovered her mother -- Karine Hakobyan, 38 -- shot to death in her car outside an apartment a few blocks away.

"We just want them to find the people who did this so they can finally get their punishment," the girl told The Times in an interview this week.

-- Anthony Pesce and Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Crime scene in Friday's shooting. Credit: Katie Falkenberg / For The Times

Comments

[West Valley Dave]

Where is our bozo Mayor? He told us crime is down? Why then are we seeing stories like this about murders on a daily basis? I'm sure crime is down. Just not here in Lost Angeles.

[Sal]

For our slow, emotional kid on the block Dave:

Murders in LA City:

2001 - 587
2002 - 658
2003 - 506
2004 - 515
2005 - 487 - Villaraigosa elected 17 May
2006 - 481
2007 - 394
2008 - 381
2009 - 314

I'm sure crime is down also. Here in Los Angeles. We're probably seeing stories like this on a daily basis because there are 365 days in the year, and given that some murders aren't simply reported then never mentioned again by the press, you probably will read about them everyday until there are something like 200 in a year. Now, I hope you had a good tantrum, got it out of your system, and will get back to Craigslist looking for a job or a girlfriend or whatever.

[KL]

West Valley Dave: Mayor Bozo is busy screwing up everything else by supporting DWP rate increases and hacking off other cuts to city services

[Maxc]

@West valley dave

Big difference between no crime and lower rate in crime. Numbers don't lie.

Run for Mayor if you think he's not doing his job...I'm tired of people like you complaining yet you keep the same people in office.

[ginger]

Our bozo mayor thinks like all politicians. If you say it enough people will ignore the statistics and believe what he says.

[Mark]

This is very fishy... follow the money... from Los Angeles to Armenia... and who knows where the police ends up.

[UR So Transparent]

West Valley Dave Smith. Mayor bashing on all forums. Get a life.

[yVet your stories]

How old was the daughter at the time she discovered the bodies? Your story says 12, the story on the link provided said she was 15-years-old. I find it hard to believe that a child of 13 would be able to provide the statement you have quoted in the final paragraph.

Journalists are too quick to publish their stories, being more worried about who's first, versus who's correct, due to the internet. It's becoming all too common, and all too sad.