The father of a South Pasadena, California, boy who was found dead after going missing for months, pled guilty in the death of his son on Tuesday, Aug. 1.
Aramazd Andressian Sr., 35, pled guilty to first degree murder charges, NBC4 reported, after previously claiming that he was innocent.
The remains of his 5-year-old son, Aramazd “Piqui” Andressian Jr., were found on June 30 near the Lake Cachuma Recreation Area in Santa Barbara County, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The boy went missing in April, leading officials and volunteers on a lengthy search for the child.
The senior Andressian is accused of killing the boy as a way to retaliate against his estranged wife. The couple was embroiled in a divorce and custody battle.
The boy was reported missing April 22, a day after he and his father went to Disneyland. The day he went missing, the elder Andressian was found unconscious at a park in South Pasadena. His car was reportedly doused in gasoline.
According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Andressian told investigators in June that he “harmed” the child and “left him” in Santa Barbara County. The report stated that he told investigators the location of the boy’s body after he was arrested in Las Vegas on June 23. Police say that he spent about 50 days in Las Vegas and allegedly changed his appearance.
“He had significantly attempted to change his appearance by shaving his beard and dying his hair,” Detective Joe Mendoza with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said at the time. “We further believe he was making plans to flee the country to a location where he could not be extradited.”
Andressian faces a sentence of 25 years to life in prison, ABC7 reported.
