An Armenian woman, Nadia Alciyan Abrahamian, age 80, was tragically found deceased on August 31, 2025, in her Watertown, Massachusetts, home. Her life was cut short by gunfire in what authorities have described as a deeply troubling murder-suicide. The discovery was made during a well-being check at her Boyd Street residence, a place she shared with relatives and a younger couple who assisted in her care.
This violent event has sent shockwaves through the close-knit local Armenian community, leaving them to grapple with a profound and sudden loss.
Living in the upper floor of the multi-family home, Nadia had recently been widowed, having lost her husband of many years just a few weeks prior. The lower floor was occupied by a younger couple, 35-year-old Karine Asatryan and 31-year-old David Minasvand, along with their infant daughter. This "blended" household, bound by caregiving and a shared faith, was shattered by the events of that day. Inside the home, alongside Nadia, the bodies of Karine and David were also discovered, all having succumbed to gunshot wounds.
The subsequent investigation by the Middlesex District Attorney's office, Massachusetts State Police, and Watertown Police has shed light on the grim sequence of events. Preliminary evidence strongly indicates that David Minasvand was the perpetrator, shooting and killing both Nadia Alciyan Abrahamian and Karine Asatryan before taking his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Given that the sole suspect in this tragedy is deceased, there have been no arrests made in connection with the deaths, and authorities are not seeking any other individuals. The investigation remains officially open, but public statements from law enforcement have indicated a conclusion of murder-suicide. The infant child of the younger couple was not present at the time of the incident and was found unharmed. In the wake of this devastating event, the community and relatives have been left to mourn the loss of three lives and care for the orphaned child, struggling to comprehend the violence that transpired within a home that had appeared to be a place of mutual support and care.
