Killer receives additional time for robbery

By Matt Pordum (contact)

Monday, Feb. 28, 2005 | 8:53 a.m.

A 46-year-old man who was previously sentenced to death for murdering a mother and daughter at the jewelry store they owned was given the maximum penalty on Friday for robbing the store after the killings.

Avetis Archanian was found guilty on Dec. 7 of using a ring-sizer and a hammer to beat to death Elisa Del Prado, 65, and her mother, Juana Maria Quiroga, 86, during his November 2003 robbery of World Merchants Importers in downtown Las Vegas.

Archanian, who worked as a part-time jewelry repairman at the store, is scheduled for execution during the week of May 16, but that date is expected to change as Archanian's automatic appeal of his death sentence is under way.

District Judge Donald Mosley on Friday gave Archanian an additional sentence of 24 to 60 years in prison for the conviction on a charge of robbery, with use of a deadly weapon, of victims older than 64.

While a jury previously sentenced him to death, the added sentence could be important if an appellate court overturns the death sentence.

Before announcing the sentence, Mosley said he knew why Archanian committed his crimes.

"I've seen these situations for 25 years and the answer is greed," Mosley said. "The sense of greed exceeds the sense of propriety."

Mosley offered his assessment after Archanian's lawyer, William Grayser, had turned to those in the crowded courtroom and suggested that anyone, including Mosley, could snap and commit a crime the way Archanian did.

Grayser's suggestion drew groans from audience and several even responded with "no."

Earlier in the hearing Grayser pressed some of the victims' relatives to explain how they felt about Archanian, whom he called "an extraordinary good man."

After delivering emotional testimony about how the murders have affected him and his family, Javier Del Prado stood up from the witness stand to answer Grayser's questions. When Grayser asked Del Prado if he hated Archanian, Del Prado told Grayser that Archanian "should hate himself and God would judge him"

"Death is too easy for him (Archanian)," Del Prado said. "He's a piece of trash."

"He should be on his hands and knees begging for mercy," Del Prado said, then addressed Archanian directly. "You have destroyed two families for your acts of selfishness."

Grayser proceeded to ask Javier Del Prado about his feelings regarding Archanian, but Del Prado refused to answer.

Before the hearing Archanian swiveled from side to side in his chair but his face showed no emotion. He chose not to address the court and remained expressionless as he left the courtroom.

Earlier Quiroga's youngest daughter, Nitika Brown, said Archanian should waive all of his appellate rights.

"Be a man, not a coward and let my mother and sister rest in peace and give my family closure." Brown said.

When Grayser asked Brown if Archanian deserved mercy she said, "He (Archanian) didn't have any mercy for my mother and sister, the only mercy I wish is for his son."

Grayser did not question any of the other family members.

Elisa Del Prado's son and Quiroga's grandson, John Del Prado, said he often wakes up in a cold sweat crying with his hands extended as if about to choke someone. He says when he looks between his hands he sees Archanian's face.

John Del Prado said the murders made him contemplate attacking Archanian during the trial in hopes Mosely would sentence him to the same prison cell as Archanian.

"I would slam his head into the metal bars of that cell everyday, wham, wham, wham," John Del Prado said as he punched his fist into his hand.

John Del Prado said he decided against attacking Archanian because he couldn't put his wife and children through such an ordeal.

He said the grief and anger caused by the murders devastated his 7-year-old son who told him after finding out Archanian committed the crime that "he wishes he was older so he could kill Mr. Archanian."

A Clark County jury took less than an hour to convict Archanian after District Attorney David Roger laid out a strong case to the jury over the five-day case based largely on DNA evidence and a security videotape recovered from the jewelry store's surveillance cameras that showed Archanian committing the acts.

After arresting Archanian for the crime officers later searched Archanian's home and found a briefcase, black pants and leather gloves all stained with blood. DNA analysis indicated that the blood came from Del Prado and Quiroga, according to Roger.

Blood from the victims was also found on the exterior of Archanian's driver's side door, inside his car and under the driver's seat. Police also found a toolbox containing jewelry stolen from the store.