A months-long investigation into the death of an Indian woman in the United States has led to the arrest of her husband, with authorities accusing him of killing her inside their Washington apartment and attempting to conceal the crime.
According to investigators, Avinash Narne (30), originally from Telangana, has been charged with the murder of his wife, Raajitha Sabbineni (27), who was found dead in October 2025. Police allege he strangled her before staging the scene to make her death appear unrelated to foul play.
Wife reportedly raised concerns about drinks
Court records cited by local media indicate that Sabbineni had previously told people that beverages prepared by her husband often had a strange, bitter taste.
On the day she died, she allegedly told Narne that a smoothie he made tasted like ‘medicine’ and ‘cough syrup,’ according to a report by US broadcaster KING 5.
Authorities believe the evidence collected during the investigation links Narne directly to the killing. Detectives also alleged that he was involved in a secret romantic relationship with another woman in India and had planned the murder in advance.
Marriage took place just months earlier
The couple reportedly got married in June 2025 and began living together in Washington the following month.
Investigators found that Narne had been in contact with another woman before the marriage and allegedly continued communicating with her afterward. Phone records, financial transactions and digital evidence were examined as part of the investigation.
Police say he shared photo of wife’s body
One of the key findings in the investigation was Narne’s alleged communication with the woman in India after Sabbineni’s death.
According to court documents, he allegedly sent her a photograph of his wife’s body and spoke to her four times on the day of the alleged murder.
Investigation began after emergency call
Police said Narne contacted emergency services on October 27, 2025, claiming he had returned home after running errands and found his wife unconscious inside a locked bathroom.
Responding officers forced the bathroom door open and found Sabbineni lying on the floor. She was later pronounced dead.
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A police statement issued in December 2025 said, ‘Following agency procedure for every death report, Bellevue Police launched an investigation with detectives determining the female’s death appeared suspicious.’
A post-mortem examination later concluded that Sabbineni died from asphyxia caused by strangulation, prompting detectives to treat the case as a homicide.
Following nearly nine months of investigation, Narne was arrested and charged with murder. He remains in custody on a USD 5 million bond and could face life imprisonment if found guilty under Washington state law.
First published on: Jul 09, 2026 11:22 AM IST
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