Body of Armenia’s ex-security chief found shot in the head

Armenian authorities say the former chief of the nation’s top security agency has been found dead with a gunshot wound to the head.

Armenia’s Investigative Committee said the body of 38-year-old Georgi Kutoian was discovered Friday in an apartment on the outskirts of the Armenian capital, Yerevan. The committee says a pistol that belonged to Kutoian was next to his body.

Senior investigator Artur Melikian said the apartment had empty bullet cartridges inside and bullet holes in the walls. He said investigators have opened a criminal inquiry on charges of “incitement to suicide,” but aren’t ruling out that someone killed Kutoian and made it look like a suicide.

Kutoian served as the head of Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) during 2016-2018.

His death has triggered numerous conspiracy theories as supporters of the government and of the opposition exchanged accusations of blame on social media.