An Indian engineer in Washington state has been charged with first-degree murder after investigators said smart-lock records, autopsy findings and phone calls contradicted his account of his wife’s death inside their Bellevue apartment.
Avinash Narne, a 30-year-old software development engineer from Telangana, is accused in the death of his wife, Raajitha Sabbineni, 27. She was found dead in the couple’s Bellevue, Washington, apartment in October 2025, less than six months after their marriage.
Indian Engineer Charged in Bellevue Homicide Case
Bellevue police said officers responded after Narne reported that Sabbineni had locked herself inside a bathroom and was not answering. Officers forced entry and found her on the floor, where she was pronounced dead.
An autopsy later found that Sabbineni died from asphyxia caused by strangling. Authorities ruled the death a homicide.
A court formally charged Narne with first-degree murder on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. He remains in custody on $5 million bail. If convicted under Washington state law, he could face life imprisonment.
Smart-Lock Evidence Cited by Investigators
Investigators said Narne told detectives he had left the apartment to run errands and returned about 40 minutes later before finding the bathroom locked.
Police reviewed front-door security and smart-lock records and said the data showed no other person entered the apartment during that period. Prosecutors said the evidence helped rule out the possibility of an unknown intruder.
Charging documents also described a possible motive involving an alleged secret romantic relationship. Investigators said Narne had been involved with another woman in India before marrying Sabbineni and continued communicating with her after the wedding.
Police said Narne called the woman multiple times on the day Sabbineni died and later admitted sending her a photograph of Sabbineni’s body the next day.
Authorities also cited messages in which Sabbineni allegedly complained that drinks prepared by Narne tasted unusually bitter. On the day she died, she reportedly said a smoothie he made tasted like medicine or cough syrup.
The case has drawn attention because it involves an Indian-origin couple, digital home-security records and a homicide charge in the Seattle-area city of Bellevue. The allegations remain subject to court proceedings, and Narne has not been convicted.
