Man Arrested in 1989 Slaying of Immigrant

Almost two years after a Turkish immigrant was found fatally shot at a San Fernando Valley park, Los Angeles police Tuesday announced the arrest of a suspect in the murder.

Arutyun Khrayan, 27, of Hollywood, was being held without bail in the Foothill Division jail in the death of Arto Vahric Kilavuz, 25, Officer Brad Peters said.

The North Hollywood man’s body was found Feb. 2, 1989, by a woman walking her dog in the Hansen Dam Recreation Area near Lake View Terrace. He had been shot once in the upper torso.

Khrayan and Kilavuz had worked together at the NBS Auto Sales dealership in Sherman Oaks, according to Detective Steve Fisk.

Khrayan, a Soviet immigrant who had been in the United States for five months, was a “lot boy” who washed cars and did other chores at the dealership. He allegedly offered to sell Kilavuz, a part-time car salesman, smuggled diamonds.

Over several weeks the victim raised $15,000, Fisk said, then made arrangements to meet Khrayan and close the deal. When Kilavuz’s body was found on a service road in the park, he had neither money nor diamonds, Peters said.

Khrayan, who had been interrogated by police several times, was arrested Monday when he arrived at the Foothill Division with his lawyer after being called in for another round of questioning.

The investigation took so long because police were “putting the pieces together,” Fisk said.

Khrayan had been in the army in his native country and was a veteran of the Soviet military campaign in Afghanistan, according to Peters.

Kilavuz had lived in this country about five years before he was killed, police said.