In the winter of 2014, Irma Mkrtchyan, a 45-year-old insurance broker, vanished from Las Vegas, Nevada, leaving behind a trail of conflicting and concerning messages. On January 19th, she reportedly met with a client at the Allanza Apartments near South Durango Drive and West Desert Inn. Following this meeting, her boss received a text message stating she needed to miss work to attend her ex-husband's aunt's funeral in California. However, her loved ones received a different story via text, claiming she was on a business trip to California and that her phone battery was dying because she had forgotten her charger, an uncharacteristic oversight for someone so reliant on her phone for work. The texts also indicated she had left her car at the apartment complex with the keys hidden in the gas cap. It was later discovered there was no family funeral in California.
At the time of her disappearance, Irma was living with her ex-husband, Ara Marutyan, with whom she had two college-aged children. Although they had divorced in 2007 after a 16-year marriage, they continued to reside in the same home. While Marutyan described their divorce as amicable, others, including Irma's daughter, painted a more troubling picture, alleging a history of abuse and that Irma feared he might kill her. Her brother, Davit Mkrtchyan, who traveled from New York to aid in the search, expressed that his sister would not have voluntarily abandoned her children, especially given their mother's recent heart attack.
As the investigation unfolded, law enforcement's focus began to shift. Within a couple of months, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced that homicide detectives were taking over the case, indicating they suspected foul play. Ara Marutyan reportedly failed a polygraph test, and police expressed their belief that he had not been truthful with them, though he has consistently maintained his innocence. The couple's son was also investigated. Marutyan and his son suggested that Irma had been talking about going to Mexico and had been in communication with a man online. However, friends and family found this inconsistent with her character, describing her as a responsible and dedicated mother and professional. The case grew more complex with speculation from a private investigator about the potential involvement of Armenian organized crime and identity theft as a possible motive. Despite these various theories and investigative efforts, Irma Mkrtchyan's disappearance remains unsolved, a lingering mystery for her family who continue to hope for answers.Last Seen: Jan 19, 2014
