Gyumri murder: Permyakov trial gets under way

A Russian garrison court based in the second largest city of Gyumri has started the trial of Valery Permyakov, the Russian military base serviceman accused of killing the family of seven earlier this year.

 

The issue on the hearing’s agenda is the desertion case and the theft of weapons.

Permyakov, a private of the 102nd military base, was detained on January 12 over suspicions of committing the crime.

The authority to handle the high-profile murder case was handed over to Armenia’s jurisdiction.

The court had earlier ruled to prolong Permyakov’s detention until January 30, 2016.

Six of the seven members of the family of Avetisyans were found killed in their house on January 12. The only surviving member, a six-month-old baby who was hospitalized with stab wounds, died a week later in a Yerevan clinic.

Permyakov was caught by Russian defense guards while attempting to cross the Armenia-Turkey border later the same day. He pleaded guilty. The motives behind the crime are unknown as yet.

The hearing conducted by the Southern Military District’s Fifth Garrison Court which will reportedly issue the ruling today.