Naman Shrestha
When Hossein Nayeri and his three accomplices kidnapped and tortured a marijuana dispensary owner named Michael S. and Mary Barnes in October 2012, the authorities launched an investigation into the case. As Hossein flew away to Iran, the police took the help of his wife, Cortney Shegerian, who was still in touch with him, to capture him after several years. The entire case and chase of Hossein is covered in a detailed manner in Hulu’s ‘Wicked Game: Devil in the Desert,’ which also features insightful interviews with several individuals tied to the case and investigation.
Cortney Shegerian Played a Crucial Role in Helping the Police Apprehend Hossein Nayeri
When Cortney Shegerian was 16 years old, she crossed paths with Hossein Nayeri at Mimi’s Cafe. At first, she lied to him about her age, claiming that she was over 18. When he found out that she was underage, the couple broke up for a few months before getting back together when she turned 18. Despite her family not being supportive of their relationship, she continued to date him through thick and thin. In 2010, the couple finally made their relationship official in the eyes of the law. Residing at the gated Newport Bluffs apartment complex with Hossein, Cortney supported him by taking money from her parents to help him get into the marijuana business. In return, her marriage started turning violent as he began abusing alcohol and Adderall.
In one instance, he had not only slapped and punched her but also threatened to kill her using a box cutter. As per her claims, she was beaten by him at least 60 times and had been diagnosed with PTSD and Battered Person Syndrome. After spending time at a rehab facility, Hossein convinced her to get back together. When he got into trouble with the law for kidnapping and torturing Michael S., he fled to Iran and asked Cortney to pick up surveillance equipment the police found inside his car. Confronted by the police, she lied to them in order to protect him but later agreed to cooperate with them and help them catch her fugitive husband in order to avoid prosecution herself.
By keeping in touch with Hossein via phone calls, she managed to convince him to meet her in Spain. Little did he know that she was luring him to be arrested by the authorities. As soon as he landed in Prague, Czech Republic, to change flights, he was taken into custody. She even testified against her former husband, claiming that she heard him and Kyle Handley play with a blowtorch a couple of weeks before the kidnapping. She also claimed that he had asked her to purchase four burner phones. When the defense tried to discredit her testimonies, the prosecution argued that she had been in “a long, twisted, emotionally abusive relationship” with the defendant, and they considered her a hero as she helped them catch him.
Besides Being an Established Lawyer, Cortney Shegerian is Also a Speaker and Panelist
Having attended Fresno State University, Cortney Shegerian managed to bag a job in Cerritos as a law clerk. In May 2014, she joined Shegerian & Associates, Inc. as an Associate and later moved up to the position of Senior Associate after a couple of years. After gaining four years of experience in the field, she became one of the founding members of Shegerian Conniff LLP in September 2018 and still serves as a Partner at the firm. Throughout the course of her career, she has earned recognition for being one of the “Most Influential Women Lawyers in Los Angeles” in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
2017 was a huge year for her as she became one of the youngest attorneys in California to argue a case before the Supreme Court of California. For a long time, she volunteered for the Sojourn Battered Women’s Shelter (2017-2022) and for the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Domestic Violence Program (2017-2021). Apart from being an active Board Member of the Peggy Albrecht Friendly House, Cortney was also chosen as a Superlawyers Rising Star in 2022.
Thanks to her success as an attorney, she is a member of various legal memberships and affiliations, such as the American Bar Association, American Association for Justice, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Armenian Bar Association, Consumer Attorneys of California, and more. Besides being a lawyer, Cortney also frequently serves as a speaker for different kinds of topics and seminars. In addition, she is also a panelist for the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
Cortney Shegerian Leads a Comfortable and Fulfilling Life With Her Loving Family
Despite being raised in the same area, going to the same Sunday school, and attending the same college, Cortney Shegerian never had the opportunity to get herself acquainted with Adam Mortanian through her best friend, who was dating his cousin at the time, in Newport Beach, California. Sparks flew between them, and the two began dating. Fast forward to three years, Adam got down on his knees and took Cortney by surprise by proposing marriage to her on the same beach where they spent their first evening together.
On the auspicious day of May 26, 2018, the couple shared their vows and tied the knot at the Forty Martyrs Armenian Apostolic Church in Santa Ana, surrounded by their loved ones. For their honeymoon, the newly wedded couple flew to Italy for a couple of weeks and stayed at some luxurious properties, such as the Hotel Eden in Rome, Il San Pietro Di Positano in Positano, and J.K. Place in Capri. A couple of years after their special day, another special day followed as they entered parenthood by giving birth to their daughter Collette Cortney Mortanian, on May 25, 2020. Hailing from Fresno, California, Cortney Shegerian currently resides in Los Angeles, California, with her husband and adorable daughter of nearly five years.
Read More: Hossein Nayeri: Where is the Kidnapper Now?
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