24 June, 2017
The father of a boy who went missing in South Pasadena in April has now been arrested for the child's murder, authorities announced Friday.
After reviewing all of the evidence, Homicide Investigators presented the facts to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and obtained a murder filling against the suspect.
Andressian's son was last seen April 21 when he was in the custody of his father.
Officials also combed the Lake Cachuma area in Santa Barbara County at least twice to search for evidence regarding his whereabouts.
Andressian Sr., who detectives have said has given "inconsistent" and "misleading" statements, has hired an attorney and refused to cooperate with investigators, authorities said.
He told police he had taken prescription pills that belonged to someone else and did not know what had happened to his son.
Bail was set at $10 million pending extradition to Los Angeles County, the Sheriff's Department said. He is expected to be extradited to Los Angeles County.
This undated photo provided by the South Pasadena, Calif., Police Department shows Aramazd Andressian Sr. He's being held on a $10 million bail, ABCreports.
Personnel with the LA County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit, Sheriff's Fugitive Task Force, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Homicide Section and the Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Taskforce of the U.S. Marshals Service coordinated the arrest. The boy's mother and father were involved in a custody battle.
A press conference to provide more details is scheduled for Monday in downtown Los Angeles.
In May, homicide detectives searched the Montebello home of Andressian's mother and removed items, but police did not reveal what they were. The boy's body has still not been found, according to the sheriff's department. She said her estranged husband had failed to drop off the child at a pre-arranged meeting place.
"To my son, this message is for you my love: be fearless, honey", Ana Estevez said through tears on May 18.
A $20,000 reward has been offered by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for information that helps authorities locate the child, who is white, 4-foot-1 and 55 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes and a small mole on the bottom of his right shoulder.
