Glendale : Life Term in Acid Attack
A Rowland Heights man has been sentenced to life in prison for arranging a vicious attack in Glendale that left his former stepdaughter blind and disfigured.
Ara Topalian, 56, was convicted in Pasadena Superior Court in April of aggravated mayhem and conspiracy for arranging for a Hacienda Heights man to throw acid in the face of Shusan Eloyan, now 25, in July, 1989. Authorities said Topalian blamed Eloyan for the breakup of his brief marriage to the woman’s mother and asked Emad Fawzi Kalta--a friend of Topalian’s son, Carlo--to commit the attack.
Carlo Topalian was convicted of conspiracy for his role and is to be sentenced June 22.
Sentencing for the elder Topalian was pushed forward to June 3 because doctors suspect that he has cancer and may have to undergo chemotherapy.
After testifying against the Topalians, Kalta was sentenced to eight years in prison.
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