New details have emerged about the man identified in media reports as the suspect in the fatal stabbing of 29-year-old Erik Kakoyan on Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan.
According to the Armenian outlet Ishkhanutyun, the suspect is Yerevan resident Valeri Hakobyan, who reportedly had two previous criminal convictions and had been registered with the Avan Mental Health Center.
The outlet claims that Hakobyan developed mental health difficulties following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, in which he reportedly participated.
Previous Criminal Cases
According to the report, Hakobyan was previously convicted of theft. During sentencing, the court reportedly considered his admission of guilt and participation in the 2020 war.
He received a prison sentence of one month and seven days but was released after the time already spent in detention was credited toward his sentence.
A separate criminal case followed an incident at Armavir Penitentiary on December 18, 2023, when prison officers reportedly discovered two razor blades during a search.
The outlet states that a forensic psychiatric examination was ordered in January 2026. An expert conclusion cited in court materials reportedly described Hakobyan as lacking the capacity to participate in criminal proceedings.
In the prohibited-items case, he was sentenced to three months in prison, but the sentence was conditionally suspended with a one-year probation period.
Questions Raised About Institutional Oversight
The reported circumstances have raised questions about whether the relevant authorities adequately assessed the suspect’s condition and any potential risks.
It remains unclear which institutions were responsible for his medical care or supervision and what measures, if any, were taken following the psychiatric assessment.
A mental health diagnosis alone does not establish that a person is violent or dangerous, and the available information does not demonstrate that the fatal incident could have been prevented.
The suspect’s reported medical and criminal history, as well as the circumstances of Kakoyan’s death, require verification through official investigative and judicial records. Criminal responsibility for the killing must be determined through the legal process.
