Travel Agent Convicted of Robbery, Murder in 3rd Trial
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A Glendale travel agent who had twice bested charges that he robbed and murdered a business associate is facing a possible 85 years in prison after his third trial ended in a conviction Friday.
After deliberating for a day and a half, a federal jury convicted Garen Zakarian, 32, of robbery, obstruction of interstate commerce and using a gun with a silencer in the robbery and murder of Benita Mikailian, another Glendale travel agent in October, 1994.
The verdict was hailed by Assistant U.S. Atty. Warrington Parker, who along with prosecutor Christopher Tayback delayed retirement to retry Zakarian after the second trial ended inconclusively in July.
The case was complicated by the disappearance of Zakarian’s sister, a co-defendant who mistakenly released after a jail paperwork error.
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