Armenian Man Strangles Girlfriend to Death

This is yet another story that I was to publish a month ago but didn't. A terrible, terrible crime out of Glendale.

Grigor Grigoryan, the 39-year-old man who was arrested Friday after a police pursuit ended in Hollywood, is scheduled to be arraigned on murder charges after an autopsy determined his girlfriend was strangled to death in her home.

The woman, whom Glendale police identified as 35-year-old Yvette Hakopian, was found dead Friday afternoon in her home on the 600 block of West Stocker Street, setting off a manhunt for her boyfriend.

Anonymous people writing to the blog have indicated that she was in a troubled relationship and wasn't allowed out by the boyfriend, who apparently has a long history of criminal acts. Unfortunately, when she decided that she had had enough, he killed her. Further sources have said that she was raped before being killed.

Source: Glendale Newspress

Video: Joey Medina Pokes Fun at Armenians

As harsh as some of the things he says may sound, many of them are true for most of us. It's all in good fun!

Here's the video: Joey Medina Mocks Armenians

Elon to Perform in Benefit Concert

Armenia Blog's friend Elon is going to perform live on Friday, June 1st, at Glendale's Alex Theater and 100% of the proceeds will be donated towards helping Armenian children with bone-marrow cancer. Armenia Blog also believes in charity and the helping of those in need.

Great music, great cause, great time. I can't see why you wouldn't attend!

Here's more information: Elon and Artists For Kids

Vanes "The Nightmare" Martirosyan Fights This Saturday!

Vanes hails from Glendale, California, and is going to fight Taronze Washington of Dallas, Texas, this Saturday, January 27th, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. I think Vanes will win hands down. Have a look:

Vanes: 11 Wins, 0 Losses, 7 KOs
Taronze: 9 Wins, 5 Losses, 5 KOs

Of course, there's more to boxing than past performance, but go out there and support Vanes, regardless!

Links of interest:
Vanes Martirosyan's Official Website
Honda Center

From Glendale, With Fraud

Don't think that just because I am an Armenian and this is Armenia Blog that I'm only going to talk about positive things as they relate to our people. From the "not so great" department, I give you this:

Eight people connected to a Glendale-based charity were arrested on suspicion of fraud after the Los Angeles Police Department linked them to an international crime ring.

Global Human Services, which posed as an organization that regularly sent humanitarian aid overseas to the Republic of Georgia, Jordan, Armenia and Russia, was actually a front for international car theft and fraud...

In June, an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement search of two of the organization’s shipping containers in Houston uncovered a shipment of women’s shoes and two late-model sport utility vehicles hidden behind false walls in each container...

It’s estimated that the GHS shipped $5 million worth of cars in the past few years, not including the loss to insurance companies through fraudulent claims.

Those in custody are: GHS operators Rita Gervorkyan, 27, and Garegin Narinyants, 32, both of Burbank, who are being held on $500,000 bail. Co-operators Lioudvig Gevorkian, 57, and Gayk Gevorkian, 21, are believed to be out of the country but are also wanted by the LAPD.

Six car owners and lessees who allegedly participated in the scam were arrested last night and early this morning. Each was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail, according to the LAPD.

Stories like these don't make me proud to be Armenian, because these people only serve to create stereotypes for the rest of us. The Armenians that I like to think of are artists, musicians, businessmen, and others of positive influence.

Source: CBS