A 21-year-old man from California, Audrik Matevosian, has been apprehended by authorities on charges of first-degree murder, grand theft, and three special circumstances in connection with the death of his 75-year-old employer, Robert “Bob” Boyajian. The arrest came a week after Matevosian allegedly purchased a body bag from Amazon.
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies responded to a welfare check request for Boyajian on July 14, after an employee expressed concern about his uncharacteristic absence from an appointment. Boyajian, a respected resident of Bass Lake and a well-known real estate professional, was not found at his residence.
Upon arrival at Boyajian’s home, deputies found his vehicle in the garage and personal items, including his briefcase and Apple Watch, inside the house. However, his cellphone, wallet, and bedding were missing. Despite no clear signs of foul play, the circumstances were deemed suspicious due to their deviation from Boyajian’s usual behavior.
Authorities attempted to access Boyajian’s home security cameras with the help of Matevosian, who had previously performed IT work for Boyajian. Despite providing information to access the cameras, investigators were unable to view the footage. Matevosian allegedly showed investigators a screenshot indicating that the system was offline and directed them to a location in a closet where a DVR should have been, but it was missing.
A search warrant was obtained for Boyajian’s financial records, revealing that someone had withdrawn $1,000 from his account at an ATM in Clovis, California, on July 13. Surveillance footage allegedly showed Matevosian making the withdrawal and attempting two more times unsuccessfully. Authorities received two tips linking Matevosian to the alleged murder.
On July 16, a search warrant was executed at Matevosian’s residence, where two firearms were found in his room. One of the firearms had been reported stolen in March, and the other belonged to Boyajian. Matevosian agreed to speak with detectives and allegedly confessed to the murder.
According to authorities, Matevosian claimed that Boyajian had asked him to assist in ending his life. However, he later confessed to killing Boyajian around midnight on July 12, transporting his body to the Mojave desert, and burying him in a cave. Matevosian allegedly committed the murder out of resentment towards Boyajian, who he claimed had spoken ill of his family, and for financial gain.
Authorities also revealed that Matevosian had purchased a body bag from Amazon a week prior to the alleged murder. He also allegedly rented a vehicle and called Boyajian to confirm he was home before spending the night at Boyajian’s residence. This was not considered unusual as Boyajian reportedly treated Matevosian and his brother like his own grandchildren.
Investigators followed Matevosian’s directions and found Boyajian’s body in the Mojave desert. Boyajian’s wallet was later found in Matevosian’s locker at a gym in Fresno. Matevosian is currently being held without bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on July 28.