A 30-year-old Indian engineer employed in the United States has been charged with the murder of his wife, nearly nine months after she was found dead in their Washington apartment. Investigators allege that he strangled her and attempted to stage the scene to disguise the killing.
Raajitha Sabbineni, 27, the wife of Telangana-native and software development engineer Avinash Narne, was discovered dead in October 2025. Following a months-long investigation, police arrested Narne, alleging that he carried out a premeditated murder while secretly maintaining a romantic relationship with another woman in India.
According to charging documents cited by local media, Narne admitted to sending his girlfriend a photograph of Sabbineni’s body the day after her death.
He remains in custody with bail set at USD 5 million (approximately Rs 48 crore). If convicted, he could face life imprisonment under Washington state law.
Wife found dead in bathroom
Late one night in October, Bellevue Police received a call from Narne stating that his wife had locked herself inside the bathroom and was not responding. Officers forced open the bathroom door and found Sabbineni lying on the floor. She was declared dead at the scene, less than six months after the couple got married.
An autopsy later concluded that she died from asphyxia due to strangulation, and her death was officially classified as a homicide.
Although the investigation increasingly focused on Narne, he maintained that he had no involvement.
He told detectives that he had left the apartment to run errands on the day of the incident and returned around 40 minutes later. According to his statement, he found the bathroom locked from the inside and contacted police after receiving no response from his wife.
However, investigators said digital evidence contradicted the possibility of an intruder entering the apartment during that period. Officials examined data from the apartment’s smart-lock system and front-door security records.
The records confirmed that Narne had briefly left the apartment but showed that no one else entered the residence while he was away. Investigators subsequently ruled out the possibility that an unknown person had entered the apartment and killed Sabbineni.
Secret relationship uncovered
During the investigation into Narne’s communications and personal life, detectives uncovered what prosecutors believe may have been the motive behind the alleged crime.
Court documents claim that Narne had been involved in a secret relationship with another woman in India before marrying Sabbineni. Police allege that the relationship continued after the wedding and that the woman had even attended the couple’s marriage ceremony.
According to prosecutors, Narne remained in frequent contact with the woman after his marriage.
Investigators found that he called her at least four times on the day of Sabbineni’s death, including around the time he later claimed he was trying to gain access to the bathroom, according to local media reports.
Police also alleged that Narne sent the woman a photograph of Sabbineni’s body the following day, an act he reportedly acknowledged during questioning.
Messages about bitter-tasting drinks
Charging documents also detail text exchanges between the couple in the weeks leading up to Sabbineni’s death. According to investigators, she repeatedly complained that drinks prepared by her husband had an unusually bitter taste.
On the day of her death, she allegedly messaged Narne saying that a smoothie he made tasted like “medicine” and “cough syrup”.
Police said Narne also suggested to responding officers that his wife had been feeling unwell and may have collapsed after consuming cough syrup.
Arrest after months of investigation
Narne remained free for nearly eight months after Sabbineni’s death while detectives continued collecting evidence, reviewing digital data and interviewing witnesses. The investigation eventually led to a follow-up interview with him, after which Bellevue Police arrested him on suspicion of first-degree murder.
On July 1, a local court formally charged Narne with first-degree murder, reflecting prosecutors’ allegation that the killing was deliberate and premeditated.
