Abraham Polisadzhyan

Abraham Polisadzhyan was 19 years old when he died on Monday, November 5, 2007, in the San Fernando Valley. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died of stab wounds at 13626 Vanowen St., near Woodman Avenue, in the area now known as Valley Glen. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a Los Angeles Police Department Van Nuys Division case.

The Los Angeles Times Homicide Report said that he "was stabbed once in the chest" at about 7:40 p.m. "Police said he was among a group of nine young men arguing on the street corner. Words gave way to fists, and moments later, a black Lexus pulled up. Two men got out, attacked one of the group, then stabbed Polisadzhyan and escaped." He died at a hospital at 8:26 p.m.

An LAPD news release said the group had gathered "in a parking lot on the southeast corner of Woodman Avenue and Vanowen Street to discuss a previous incident between them." The Daily News, quoting Detective Mike Coblentz, said the men had met to settle "an earlier, undisclosed dispute," and that some witnesses stayed at the scene until police arrived. "They're being vague as to what happened," Coblentz said at the time.

Weeks later, the case seemed close to an answer. The Daily News reported on December 10, 2007, that two people had been arrested on November 29 after being identified by witnesses. But prosecutors, "citing a lack of evidence," declined to file charges, and both were freed. Police said the case began when one person disrespected another. "Everybody knew everybody," Coblentz told the paper. "It's a senseless murder. Over disrespect and pride, someone's going to lose their life over that? It just doesn't make sense." Neither the car nor the weapon had been recovered.

Beyond these reports, little about Abraham's own life has entered the public record. No obituary, memorial page or family fundraiser could be found for this story. His surname is uncommon, which makes it all the more striking that so few traces of him remain online.

Vanowen Street and Woodman Avenue are busy crossing streets in the central San Fernando Valley, lined with strip malls, apartment buildings and small businesses. The Daily News described the scene as a strip mall parking lot, where a fight among nine young men would likely have drawn attention from shoppers and drivers.

Homicides in Los Angeles fell steeply in the late 2000s and early 2010s, yet many killings from those years were never solved.

No criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Abraham Polisadzhyan could be found in news archives or public records, and the two people arrested in 2007 were released without charges. More than 18 years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Because the people involved reportedly knew one another, someone in his circle almost certainly knows who arrived in that car and who used the knife. Anyone who was in the parking lot at Woodman Avenue and Vanowen Street on the evening of November 5, 2007, or who has heard talk about it since, may hold information that could help detectives. The LAPD listed Van Nuys homicide detectives at 818-374-0040. Even a small detail, such as a name overheard, a vehicle seen nearby or a conversation remembered, can help detectives move a case forward. Anyone with information can call the Los Angeles Police Department at 877-527-3247 (877-LAPD-24-7), or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).