Chris Donoyan was found shot to death inside his locked North Hollywood apartment, valuables including Emmy awards, a Rolex, a guitar, $20,000 in cash and gold bars scattered around him untouched. Twelve years later, nobody has ever been arrested, and detectives say they still have no idea who pulled the trigger.
According to ABC7 Los Angeles, Donoyan was found dead in his apartment on Nov. 25, 2014. LAPD Detective Gabriel Bucknell, who recently took over the long-dormant case, told the station Donoyan was shot at close range in the back of the head, and that the apartment door was locked with valuables left inside untouched. Accounts of exactly when his body was discovered differ: NBC Los Angeles reported Donoyan was shot on Nov. 20, 2014, with his body not found until days later, while a Los Angeles city council webpage lists the discovery date as Nov. 20 as well, differing from ABC7's account of a Nov. 25 discovery.
Bucknell did not mince words about where the investigation stands now. “I have no motive, I have no idea who would have killed Chris, and I have no leads at this time,” he said, per the station's report. LAPD and Donoyan's loved ones are renewing their plea for information, hoping that someone who has stayed quiet for over a decade finally comes forward.
A Scene That Pointed Away From Robbery
Investigators have long said the condition of Donoyan's apartment undercuts any simple robbery theory. Emmy awards, a guitar, a Rolex, $20,000 in cash and gold bars were all left behind, the station's report notes. Back in 2015, LAPD Detective Steve Castro told NBC Los Angeles that “robbery does not appear to be a motive, there were several valuables that were left behind,” and added that there was no forced entry and no sign of a struggle.
A $50,000 reward was offered in June 2015 to help generate leads in the case, according to the same NBC Los Angeles account. Neighbors reportedly did not hear the fatal gunshot, and Donoyan's family grew concerned only after he stopped returning their calls, according to ABC7's reporting. Raffi Donoyan said the killing has been difficult to understand because Chris had no enemies, per the station.
From Equipment Sales To Managing Hollywood Talent
Before his death, Donoyan had built a career in the entertainment industry, moving from selling equipment used by film and television studios to managing on-camera talent, according to ABC7's reporting. He had no children of his own, but friends describe him as a man who poured that energy into the people closest to him.
Kevin Kirby called Donoyan his best friend, telling the station the two remained close throughout their lives, traveling together and sharing major milestones; Donoyan served as best man at Kirby's wedding. Donoyan also developed a close bond with Kirby's daughter, Hannah, who said he was part of her family and a second father figure to her. Hannah Kirby has urged anyone with information to come forward.
A Cold Case Amid LAPD's Shifting Clearance Numbers
The Donoyan case remains open at a moment when LAPD has been touting progress on older killings elsewhere in the city. Of the 230 homicides logged in areas patrolled by the department in 2025, officials said 156, or 68%, were considered solved, according to a Los Angeles Times report. Factoring in 78 homicides from previous years that were solved in 2025, officials said the clearance rate rose to 101%, even as that year's homicide tally marked the city's lowest total since 1966, per the same report.
Still, the overall 2025 rate fell below the 79.9% clearance rate LAPD reported for 2023, the Times noted. The paper's report explains that a homicide can be considered cleared through an arrest or other circumstances, including a legally justified killing or a suspect's death, meaning clearance does not necessarily equal a conviction. Police officials credited improved crime-solving technology and preservation of evidence for helping produce breakthroughs in some older killings, according to the same report — the kind of break Donoyan's family is still hoping for.
For now, the case that once drew a $50,000 reward offer remains unresolved, with Bucknell saying he has no leads. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact LAPD at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 or 1-877-527-3247.
