Man Held in Death of Travel Agent

GLENDALE —  A 30-year-old Glendale man has been arrested in connection with the slaying of a travel agent found shot to death in her office last week, police said Monday.

Garen Zakarian was arrested about 6 p.m. Friday at his home in the 400 block of West Wilson Avenue and charged with the murder of Benita Mikailian, said police spokesman Chahe Keuroghelian. Police do not have a motive for the slaying, he said.

Keuroghelian did not disclose why officers suspect Zakarian, but said police may hold a news conference today to discuss the case in more detail.

Mikailian, 40, owned Benita’s Travel Town, a travel agency in a small, two-story office building at 1110 N. Brand Blvd.

Police said last week they believed she was killed sometime after 8 p.m. Wednesday. Her body was discovered at about 8:30 a.m. the next day by an employee arriving at work.

Acquaintances said Mikailian had a successful business and lived alone at the exclusive Park Towers condominiums on Pioneer Drive, just blocks from her office.