Armenian-American man killed in Beverly Hills alley; family disputes homeless label

On the night of Aug. 30, Vanik Voskanyan was attacked in an alley behind the 400 block of North Palm Drive in Beverly Hills and later died from several stab wounds, according to police and the medical examiner. Nineteen-year-old resident Conoray Lawantara was arrested, charged with murder on Sept. 2, and entered a not-guilty plea, asserting he used a 3.9-inch knife in self-defense after a verbal clash. He posted a $2 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court again on Nov. 5.

Voskanyan’s relatives and friends, including Levon Grigoryan and Armen Akopyan, rejected media portrayals of him as homeless, noting he lived with his mother and brother in Glendale and had worked in construction, jewelry, and as a dental technician. Over 100 mourners gathered for an open-casket service at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral in Burbank, followed by a burial at Grand View Memorial Park in Glendale.