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A 30-year-old Indian software engineer has been arrested in the United States for allegedly murdering his wife and staging the crime scene, nearly nine months after she was found dead inside their apartment in Washington state.

According to Bellevue Police, Avinash Narne is accused of strangling his 27-year-old wife, Raajitha Sabbineni, before attempting to make her death appear as though she had locked herself inside a bathroom.

Narne has now been charged with one count of first-degree murder. Authorities said he could face life imprisonment if convicted.

Police Say Husband Reported Wife Locked in Bathroom

The incident dates back to October 27, 2025, when Narne, who worked as a software development engineer, called police to report that his wife was locked inside the bathroom and was not responding.

When officers forced entry into the bathroom, they found Sabbineni lying on the floor. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

During initial questioning, Narne told investigators he had left the apartment to run errands and returned about 40 minutes later, only to find the bathroom locked from the inside. However, investigators said surveillance and other evidence showed no one else entered the apartment while he was away.

Post-Mortem Ruled Death a Homicide

A day after the incident, the King County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Sabbineni's death a homicide, determining that she died from asphyxia caused by strangulation.

The homicide ruling prompted a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

As investigators gathered evidence, they began examining Narne's personal relationships, communications and activities leading up to the incident.

Investigation Uncovers Alleged Secret Relationship

According to investigators, Narne had been involved in a long-term relationship with a woman in India, even after entering into an arranged marriage with Sabbineni on June 5, 2025.

Officials alleged that the woman attended Narne and Sabbineni's wedding and that the relationship between Narne and his girlfriend continued after the marriage.

Investigators also said Narne contacted his girlfriend at least four times on the day of Sabbineni's death, including around the time he claimed he was trying to gain access to the locked bathroom. Authorities further alleged that he sent his girlfriend a photograph of his wife's body after her death.

Text Messages Became Part of Investigation

Officials also recovered text messages exchanged between Sabbineni and Narne that became part of the investigation.

According to police, Sabbineni had repeatedly complained that drinks prepared by her husband tasted unusually bitter. On the day she died, she allegedly messaged Narne saying that a smoothie he had made tasted like "medicine" and "cough syrup".

Authorities have not disclosed whether those messages formed part of the basis for the murder charge.

Murder Charge Filed, Bail Set at $5 Million

On July 5, prosecutors charged Narne with one count of first-degree murder.

Authorities said he remains in custody with bail set at $5 million. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment.

The investigation into Sabbineni's death continued for several months before police announced the arrest and filed the murder charge.