Man Accused of Stabbing Wife 21 Times Was of Sound Mind: Expert

The case of the murder of Diana Nahapetyan, 35, continued at the Court of First Instance of Ararat and Vayots Dzor Districts on Wednesday. Questioned at the trial was the medical examiner, who confirmed that the accused, Volodya Muradyan, was conscious and not experiencing a strong emotional outburst when he brutally stabbed his common-law wife 21 times, according to a statement [AM] issued by the NGO following the case, Society Without Violence.

After a series of questions by the parties, the court found that Muradyan was not under "cumulative effect"; that is, an unstable mental state resulting from a series of incidents. Though he was in a "highly emotional state," his consciousness was not completely clouded over when he committed the crime. That is, he was sane and was of sound mind when he committed the crime.

Armen Manukyan, representing the victim's legal successor, presented a civil claim for the forfeiture of funds. The court, however, stated that the civil claim was not attached to the case and asked him to present the civil claim at the following court session; that is, until the verdict is announced. However, in conversation with Epress.am, Manukyan said he presented the civil claim months ago and losing it indicates the court's carelessness.

If convicted, Muradyan faces 8 to 15 years in prison.

"I openly told the court that the choice of article was wrong: it shouldn't be Article 104 Section 1 of the Criminal Code but Article 104 Section 5 — murder with particular cruelty — [punishable by]12–20 years’ or life imprisonment. The article will be changed at the end; there will be a motion to change the article — it is not plain murder. He issued about 20 blows: with his hand, foot, various objects within his reach, [attacked] her head, broke her jaw, made her partly dead, then finished with the knife," said the victim's mother, Mrs. Valyan (pictured), in conversation with Society Without Violence NGO. 

Volodya Muradyan and Diana Nahapetyan weren't legally married, but they lived together for almost 8 years. Mrs. Valyan says their quarrels never stopped.

"He told my daughter, one day I'm going to smash you against the wall with my car; I'm going to kill you. He was terribly jealous — jealous in vain. Look, if your wife is bad, you're jealous, you should have left her and lived in peace — why did you steal my child's life? I said, my dear, what sort of husband is that? Leave him. [But] she said, no, mama, it'll get better, it'll get straightened out," said Diana's mother.

Photo credit: Society Without Violence NGO