LAPD Identifies Suspect in Restaurant Quadruple Murder, Suspect at Large

April 12, 2010

Los Angeles: Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery Homicide Division (RHD) detectives are looking for a 28-year-old man suspected of killing four men at a North Hollywood restaurant.

On April 3, 2010, at around 4:30 pm, RHD Detectives say Nerses Arthur Galstyan was participating in a birthday memorial celebration, with several others, inside the Hot Spot Mediterranean Restaurant located at 11651 Riverside Drive in North Hollywood.  The celebration was being held for an acquaintance that had died in an accident a year earlier.  RHD Detectives believe Galstyan became involved in a dispute with several men at the celebration, and in anger fired multiple rounds hitting and killing four of them.  Three of the men in the group died at the scene.  Another man passed away at a local hospital and two others were wounded.

Surveillance video from the restaurant confirms that Nerses Arthur Galstyan was in the restaurant, and left following the shooting.  Galstyan remains at large and is considered armed and very dangerous.

The Los Angeles coroner’s office has identified the deceased victims as 25-year old Hayk Yegnanyan; 26-year old Sarkis Karadjian; 28-year old Harut Baburyan; and 31-year old Vardan Tofalyan.

The identification of Galstyan as the suspect in the murders comes after a non-stop exhaustive investigation conducted by RHD detectives, with assistance from other local law enforcement agencies, The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Secret Service.

In a separate investigation, a federal grand jury this morning indicted Galstyan on weapons violations.  On April 9, 2010, in the United States District Court For the Central District of California, a Grand Jury handed down an indictment naming Nerses Arthur Galstyan as a defendant and charging him with Conspiracy for engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license; and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, namely two Spike’s Tactical .223 caliber semi-automatic rifles.  

Anyone with information regarding this murder is urged to call Robbery Homicide detectives at 213-486-6890.  During non-business hours or on weekends, calls may be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477).  Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) using a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters can also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on “web tips” and follow the prompts.