Nagdalian, the 36-year-old head of state-owned Armenian Public Television, was shot in the head as he was leaving his parents’ home in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, on December 28. The journalist was rushed to a hospital, where he died during emergency surgery, according to press reports.
The motive for the murder remained unclear at year’s end. Nagdalian, who also hosted a weekly news program on Armenian Public Television and worked for the U.S. government funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty from 1995 to 1997, was a strong supporter and friend of Armenian president Robert Kocharian.
Government officials believe that the murder was politically motivated, but some local media experts pointed to Nagdalian’s lavish lifestyle and business interests as a possible explanation for his killing.
Armenian authorities have launched an investigation into the murder.