Deaths of 3 Armenians in Watertown investigated as murder-suicide

David Minasvand, 31, allegedly shot and killed Nadia Abrahamian, 80, and Karine Asatryan, 35, before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

By Molly Farrar

Boston.com

The deaths of three people in Watertown are being investigated as an apparent murder-suicide, officials said, after a man allegedly shot and killed an elderly woman and his apparent partner before himself.

David Minasvand, 31, shot and killed Nadia Abrahamian, 80, and Karine Asatryan, 35, inside their Boyd Street home, where they were found Saturday morning, the Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said.

Minasvand died by an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, the DA said. The event was isolated, and there is no threat to the public, officials reiterated.

The three people were the only ones present in their unit, according to Ryan’s office. Abrahamian lived on the upper floor of the unit, while the couple lived together on the bottom floor. Before confirming their identities, the DA said the three were known to each other.

Minasvand, Abrahamian, and Asatryan appear to be part of a “blended Armenian family,” according to an obituary for Abrahamian’s late husband, Sarkis Abrahamian, who died last month. Minasvand and Asatryan, who had a 1-year-old child together, helped care for Nadia and Sarkis, according to the obituary.

St. James Armenian Church in Watertown, where services were held for Sarkis in August, did not return a request for comment. Father Arakel Aljalian confirmed the family was active at his church, NBC 10 Boston reported.

“They were very simple people, very pious people. Occasionally, we saw them here in the community and — peace-loving family. Harmless, and didn’t deserve this tragedy,” Aljalian told the station. “We are going to have a funeral for three individuals at the same time probably because they were all together. Living together as one family.”