Authorities in Porter Ranch are investigating the deaths of 58‑year‑old Zaven Shahverdi and 55‑year‑old Melina Avanosian, a married couple found shot inside their home late Monday night.
The incident occurred in the 20700 block of Como Lane, a quiet residential street in the northernmost part of Los Angeles. Police were called to the home at approximately 9:20 p.m. after a neighbor reported that the couple’s son had come to them for help, saying he had discovered his parents unresponsive inside the residence.
When officers from the LAPD Devonshire Division arrived, they found both individuals deceased from gunshot wounds. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later confirmed that each victim sustained a single gunshot wound to the head. A firearm was recovered at the scene, and investigators immediately began treating the case as a suspected murder‑suicide.
Detectives spent several hours inside the home gathering evidence, interviewing neighbors, and reconstructing the sequence of events. Early findings suggest that no one else was involved and that the shooting occurred inside a bedroom of the residence. Authorities have not released information regarding who they believe fired the weapon, noting that the investigation remains active as they await additional forensic results.
Neighbors described the family as quiet and private, and many expressed shock at the sudden tragedy. The couple’s son, who discovered the bodies, has been cooperating with investigators and is receiving support from extended family members. The incident has left the Porter Ranch community shaken, with residents struggling to understand how such violence unfolded in an otherwise peaceful neighborhood.
As detectives continue their work, authorities have emphasized that there is no threat to the public. The case remains under review as investigators finalize their findings and prepare a full report for the coroner’s office. The deaths of Zaven Shahverdi and Melina Avanosian mark another heartbreaking instance of domestic violence in Los Angeles, prompting renewed calls for awareness and intervention resources for families in crisis.