Jorjik Avanesian

 VICTIMS: 7

This is a really short one, but I found it pretty interesting. I only wish I knew more about it.

Around May, 1995, the Avanesian family, from Iran, immigrated to the United States via Turkey.

Nine months later, on February 6, 1996, Jorjik Avanesian, 43, poured gasoline on a towel, lit it and tossed it into a room where his six children and wife slept. His wife, Turan, 37, and their children, ages 4 to 17, died of smoke inhalation in their one-bedroom apartment.

"Another boring family massacre," I hear you moan. Please stick with this one. The reasons are pretty amusing.

When arrested Jorjik Avanesian told investigators he killed his family because he believed his wife and two older daughters shamed the family by taking drugs that made them promiscuous. Pretty good drugs, I reckon.

During Jorjik's trial his lawyer took this further and said that Jorjik feared that his wife and daughters were tainted by drugs and were making pornographic movies. Their was no proof whatsoever that this was the case. So maybe it was Jorjik that was using drugs?

Also during his trial the prosecution showed videotape in which Avanesian told police he waited for a sign from God telling him not to set the fire, but the sign never came. "I wanted us all to die," Avanesian told police on the tape.

On Thursday, July 1, 1999, jurors took only 75 minutes to find Jorjik Avanesian guilty on seven counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson. Unfortunately I have been unable to find out what the penalty was in this case, although I am quite certain that a jury that would find someone guilty this quickly would rule in favour of the death penalty.

Oh, did I fail to mention that following his guilty verdict Jorjik's only request was to see the coroners photos of his dead family. Definitely the request of a sane man, huh.
 

MY OPINION

Okay, so this is a really short page, but I think there is enough information to show someone deserving of a spot here at the Wacky World of Murder. An interesting bit I didn't add was that it took 14 months for the courts to find someone willing to say that Avanesian was sane, I wonder how many psychiatrists they had to go through to find someone willing to take their money? Well anyway, I think he was obviously insane. Why else would anyone willingly move to the USA?