ONTARIO – Three people were found dead at a cemetery on Saturday afternoon, launching a police investigation into an apparent murder-suicide in which a man shot his sister and brother-in-law, then turned the gun on himself.
The bodies were discovered at Bellevue Memorial Park shortly after 3 p.m. when police were summoned to the scene at 1240 West G Street, which is near Mountain Avenue.
The three bodies were found with visible gunshot wounds, according to police reports. Residents close by reported having heard up to 20 gunshots.
Police are saying that Karapet Kalajian, 71, of Ontario, walked up and shot Misak Minasyan, 60, and Hripsime Minasyan, 59, as they approached the Bellevue Cemetery plot, where Kalajian’s wife is buried. She died five years earlier, according to police reports. The Minasyans lived in North Hollywood.
Sgt. Jeff Higbee of the Ontario Police Department said that Kalajian was apparently waiting for three people to arrive at Bellevue. When they got out of their car, he approached and oepned fire before taking his own life with the same gun.
A third person present at the scene was not injured.
The Minasyans, along with Kalajian, died at the cemetery.
Police said Kalajian had not only planned for his death but had started turning over his estate belongings, including his car, to others. Kalajian’s wife died in 2011, said police, having suffered from cancer.
Higbee said that Kalajian had made arrangements for his own burial. There was a four-page suicide note, which was written in Armenian. The note was discovered in Kalajian’s home.
