Man charged with La Crescenta slaying of cousin

PASADENA -- A Tujunga man was charged Thursday with murdering his 33- year-old female cousin, whose body was left near the La Crescenta Avenue offramp of the westbound 210 Freeway.

Aram Sarukhanyan, 27, is accused of shooting Adrine Arzumanyan and then pointing a handgun at a civilian who tried to stop him after he allegedly dumped the victim's body alongside the freeway April 29.

Sarukhanyan was located a short time later on the southbound 2 Freeway with a self-inflicted gunshot wound that resulted in his hospitalization, authorities said.

He will be arraigned after he is released from the hospital, according to Deputy District Attorney Lee Mitchell.

Sarukhanyan is charged with one felony count each of murder and brandishing a firearm at a person in motor vehicle, along with the allegation that he personally used a handgun in the commission of Arzumanyan's shooting.

If convicted, he faces a maximum of more than 50 years to life in state prison, according to the District Attorney's Office.