A 21-year-old man in California was arrested for allegedly murdering his 75-year-old boss a week after authorities claimed he bought a body bag from Amazon.
Audrik Matevosian has been charged with one count of first-degree murder with three special circumstances and grand theft in the death of Robert “Bob” Boyajian, authorities announced.
According to the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a welfare check request for Boyajian around 5 p.m. on Monday, July 14, after receiving a call from one of his employees who stated that he had missed an appointment and she was unable to reach him, which she described as “extremely unusual based on his consistent behavior.”
Boyajian was described by authorities as “a respected Bass Lake resident” and “beloved” real estate professional. Madera County is located in the center of the Golden State.
When deputies arrived at the address, they discovered Boyajian’s only vehicle in the garage, his briefcase and Apple Watch — which “he reportedly always wore” — inside the house, and his cellphone, wallet, and bedding were all missing. While there were no obvious signs of foul play, the “totality of the circumstances” seemed “very out of character” for Boyajian, according to Sheriff Tyson Pogue during a news briefing.
Authorities attempted to gain access to the victim’s home security cameras and spoke with Matevosian, who they claimed had previously worked in IT for Boyajian. Matevosian allegedly provided investigators with information to help them access the cameras, such as passwords and apps to download, but they were still unable to view the footage.
Matevosian allegedly provided investigators with a screenshot allegedly indicating that the system was offline. He then directed deputies to a specific spot in the closet where a DVR should be located.
“However, the DVR was missing, which escalated our suspicions,” Pogue told me.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for Boyajian’s financial records, and surveillance footage revealed that on Sunday, July 13, around 8:30 p.m., someone withdrew $1,000 from Boyajian’s account at an ATM in Clovis, California, just under 50 miles from his home. Surveillance footage from the area allegedly showed Matevosian making the withdrawal, as well as two additional failed attempts.
Multiple images of Matevosian were captured at the ATM, and authorities received two tips linking Matevosian to the alleged murder.
On July 16, investigators executed a search warrant on Matevosian’s home, recovering two firearms from his room. One was reported stolen in March, while the other belonged to the victim.
Matevosian agreed to talk to detectives and allegedly admitted to the murder.
“During that interview, Matevosian repeatedly referred to Mr. Boyajian in the past tense, which raised some concerns” according to Pogue. “Initially, he claimed Mr. Boyajian had committed suicide, but later changed his story, claiming Mr. Boyajian had asked him to help him end his life. Finally, he admitted to killing Mr. Boyajian around midnight on Saturday and driving his body to the Mojave Desert, where he was buried in a cave.”
Pogue went on to say that Matevosian was motivated to commit the “premeditated homicide” by resentment of Boyajian, who he claimed had “spoken disparagingly about his family,” as well as financial gain.
Matevosian “purchased a bodybag from Amazon” at least a week before the alleged murder, adding to his alleged planning, according to Pogue. Matevosian allegedly rented a car on Saturday and called Boyajian to make sure he was home. He then reportedly went to Boyajian’s home and spent the night, which authorities said was not unusual given Boyajian’s treatment of Matevosian and his brother as if they were his grandchildren.
Matevosian allegedly killed Boyajian around midnight.
“He wrapped the body in the bedding, placed it in the bodybag, and transported him to the Mojave desert,” Pogue told me. “Upon his return to Fresno, he used Boyajian’s ATM card to withdraw the $1,000.”
The Mojave National Preserve is located in San Bernardino County, approximately 400 miles south of Madera County.
Investigators say they followed Matevosian’s instructions and found the body exactly where he said it would be. Matevosian apparently told detectives that Boyajian had previously taken him to that location on a trip in recreational vehicles.
The victim’s wallet was found in Matevosian’s locker at a Fresno gym.
Matevosian is currently being held without bond and will appear in court for a preliminary hearing on July 28.
