Three Killed in Apparent Murder-Suicide Were a “Blended Family,” Leave Behind a Baby

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The house on Boyd Street shared by the three killed in an apparent murder-suicide discovered on Aug. 31. (Google Streetview Image)

The three people killed in an apparent murder-suicide in Watertown were part of a “blended family” in which the younger couple helped care for the elderly owners of the home on Boyd Street. The husband of the older couple passed away in early August; and the younger couple had a baby, for whom extended family is seeking a new home.

On Tuesday, the Middlesex District Attorney’s office and the Watertown Police announced that the preliminary investigation suggests that Nadia Abrahamian, 80, and Karine Asatryan, 35, were shot and killed by David Minasvand, 31 inside their home. Minasvand then died by an apparently self-inflicted gunshot.

The home was owned by Nadia and her husband Sarkis, an Armenian who immigrated from Turkey who died on Aug. 4 at the age of 85, according to the obituary from Giragosian Funeral Home.

The two families became close, Rev. Father Arakel Aljalian told NBC Boston 10, and “living together as one family.” As reported on Boston.com, the obituary mentions that they became a “blended family.” Sarkis had a particular connection with the baby, who is now 16 months old.

“He was also blessed to be an honorary grandfather to his cosmic twin Madeline (Maddy) Minasvand who was born on the same day as him last year,” the obtiuary said. “Maddy and her parents, David and Karine, lived with and helped care for Sarkis and Nadia. Together with Nayad, they created a blended Armenian family that symbolized the transformative power of living in a beloved community. Maddy was the shining apple/pomegranate of Sarkis’ eye.”

WCVB Channel 5 reported that the family priest said he and extended family members are searching for a new home for the couple’s child.

4 thoughts on “Three Killed in Apparent Murder-Suicide Were a “Blended Family,” Leave Behind a Baby

  1. Thank you, Charlie, for these updates. They are hardly reassuring, but at least they answer our many haunting questions. Our prayers to little Maddy and her family.

  2. Please stop saying extended family is looking to seek a new home. She had a mother, where the baby was thankfully overnight, and a younger sister who is seeking custody.

  3. So often we see and hear about people with a lack of emotional discipline. This can lead to violence, theft, intimidation or sexual abuse.
    Emotional discipline is something we learn. It can come from our parents, our schools or our friends. Unfortunately many don’t have good emotional discipline as evident by the war in Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza and situations like this.
    Please, lets all recognize that no mater our differences, we can endeavor to continue to communicate with respect for one another before emotions are out of control.
    On the national level, Let’s take the sports attitude out of politics and return the political process to one of debate based on all for one and one for all attitude. We are after all, all on the same side.

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