Indian Engineer Faces Murder Charge in US Over Wife's Death, Sent Photo to Secret Lover

A 30-year-old Indian software engineer, Avinash Narne, has been formally indicted for the murder of his 27-year-old wife, Raajitha Sabbineni, in Washington, United States. The charges come nearly nine months after Sabbineni was discovered deceased inside their apartment in October 2025. Authorities allege that Narne strangled his wife and meticulously manipulated the crime scene in an attempt to obscure the homicide.

Following an extensive investigation, Narne was apprehended and charged after evidence emerged suggesting a premeditated killing. Investigators also uncovered that Narne maintained a clandestine romantic relationship with another woman in India. According to court documents cited by local media, Narne confessed to transmitting a photograph of Sabbineni's body to his girlfriend the day after her demise. He is currently held on a USD 5 million bail, equivalent to approximately Rs 48 crore. If found guilty, the Indian national could potentially face a life sentence under Washington state law.

The incident unfolded one night in late October when Bellevue Police received a distress call from a man, later identified as Narne, reporting that his wife had locked herself in the bathroom and was unresponsive. Upon arrival, officers forced entry into the bathroom, where they found Sabbineni lying on the floor. She was pronounced dead at the scene, less than six months after the couple's wedding. An subsequent autopsy, however, determined her cause of death to be asphyxia resulting from strangulation, officially ruling it a homicide.

As the investigation gradually focused on the husband, he made several statements to deflect suspicion. Narne informed detectives that on the day his wife died, he had left their residence for about 40 minutes to run errands. He claimed that upon his return, he discovered Sabbineni locked in the bathroom and, after failing to get a response, contacted the police. Nevertheless, digital evidence contradicted his narrative regarding any external entry into the home. Officials analyzed data from the apartment's front-door security and smart-lock system, which confirmed Narne's brief absence but showed no other individual entered the apartment during that period. This effectively eliminated the possibility of an unknown intruder committing the crime.

Detectives delved into Narne's communications and personal relationships, unearthing what prosecutors describe as a potential motive. Court documents allege that Narne was involved in a 'secret relationship' with another woman in India even prior to marrying Sabbineni. Police indicated this relationship persisted post-marriage, with the woman reportedly even attending the couple's wedding ceremony. Prosecutors noted Narne's continued regular contact with this woman after his marriage. Police records revealed he called her at least four times on the day Sabbineni died, including around the time he later asserted he was attempting to access the bathroom, as per local news reports. Furthermore, police alleged Narne sent the woman a picture of Sabbineni's corpse the day after her death, a fact he reportedly acknowledged during questioning.

The charging documents also brought to light a series of messages exchanged between Sabbineni and Narne in the weeks leading up to her death. According to police, Sabbineni repeatedly complained that beverages prepared by her husband had an unusually bitter taste. On the day she passed away, she purportedly told Narne that a smoothie he had made tasted like 'medicine' and 'cough syrup'. Notably, Narne himself suggested to officials upon their arrival that his wife had been feeling unwell and might have collapsed after consuming cough syrup.

For nearly eight months following Sabbineni's death, Narne remained free while detectives diligently gathered evidence, reviewed digital records, and conducted interviews. The thorough investigation culminated in a follow-up interview with Narne, after which Bellevue Police placed him under arrest on suspicion of first-degree murder. On July 1, a local court formally charged him with first-degree murder, reflecting the prosecution's assertion that the killing was both intentional and premeditated.