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Man sentenced to life in prison for killing ex-boyfriend to collect on insurance policy

A 37-year-old man was sentenced Thursday to life in state prison without the possibility of parole for killing a Glendale man in a scheme to collect on the victim's $2.5-million insurance policy, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. 

On June 24, a jury found Hovanes “John” Maskovian guilty of first-degree murder and attempted kidnapping of his ex-boyfriend, Joshua V. West. Jurors also found true the special circumstance allegations of lying in wait, murder for financial gain, and murder during an attempted kidnapping. 

A separate jury on June 23 found his younger brother Hachik “Kriss” Maskovian, 31, guilty of the same charges. 

On April 24, 2013, West was lured to a Sun Valley location where he was beaten, run over by a car, and shot by the two men, prosecutors said. West’s body was dumped in the 10200 block of Penrose Street. About 10:30 p.m., police from the LAPD Foothill Division found West's body. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to coroner’s records. The Maskovian brothers were arrested April 27. 

Hachik Maskovian is scheduled to return to court Nov. 2 for sentencing.

A third man, Nazaret “Nick” Bayamdzhyan, 22, is awaiting trial on charges related to the killing.  

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @jeromercampbell and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.

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