The L.A. County District Attorney’s Office indicated Thursday that prosecutors will not seek the death penalty in the prosecution of a College of the Canyons student’s murder, which they described as premeditated and retaliatory during a May preliminary hearing.
An attorney for Grigor Hovsepyan, 24, of Granada Hills, charged with murder in the May 2024 shooting of Gabriel Unzueta, has filed a motion challenging his client’s mental competency.
Hovsepyan also was held to answer to attempted murder in the San Fernando Valley shooting.
During Hovsepyan’s preliminary hearing two months ago, the prosecution sought to paint the shooting as a retaliatory murder, according to the court transcripts.
Unzueta’s friends testified that they were throwing eggs at cars from a lookout point in the San Fernando Valley when they hit Hovsepyan‘s car.
Hovsepyan’s response, according to their testimony in the transcript, was to chase them down and fire several shots at their car. Unzueta was fatally struck by gunfire while in the backseat of the car.
The L.A. County District Attorney’s Office charged Hovsepyan with two counts of attempted murder and one count of murder in Unzueta’s death, alleging Hovsepyan caught up to them and fired several shots, including one to the chest that killed Unzueta.
Now, Hovsepyan’s attorney is trying to move the proceedings to a mental health court.
“Defense counsel declares a doubt as to the defendant’s mental competence pursuant to Penal Code section 1368,” according to the minute order from a hearing Thursday. “Criminal proceedings are suspended.”
Hovsepyan remains in custody without bail while awaiting his next court date.
A hearing in Hovsepyan’s case is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. July 17 at the L.A. County Superior Court in Hollywood, where cases involving mental health diversion are heard.
