YEREVAN. – Responding to 168 Zham daily’s query as to whether samples had been taken from Russian soldier Valery Permyakov, who is the accused in the recent murder of the Avetisyan family in Armenia’s Gyumri city, to determine whether there were traces of shots on his body, or clothes, the Investigative Committee of Armenia responded:

“Samples were not taken from the body and clothes of Valery Permyakov to find powder, soot traces typical of shooting, since the Armenian law enforcement agencies had the opportunity to conduct investigation with Permyakov nine days after the incident.”  

As reported earlier, six members of the Avetisyan family—including a two-year-old girl—were shot dead, and a six-month-old baby was wounded in their house in Gyumri on January 12; and the baby boy died in hospital on January 19.

Valery Permyakov, a serviceman of the 102nd Russian Military Base in Gyumri, stands accused in this crime. Permyakov was apprehended by the Russian border guards near the Armenian-Turkish border on the same night, he was arrested on January 14, and he is held in custody at the Russian military base.

The soldier is charged under Russian law, with “the murder of more than two people” and “desertion with a service weapon.” And on January 21, the Investigative Committee of Armenia also filed a criminal charge against Permyakov, and with “premeditated murder of two or more persons.” The Russian soldier has accepted the charges.