A 30-year-old Indian software engineer has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, nine months after she was found dead in their Bellevue apartment. Prosecutors filed the charge on July 1 against Avinash Narne, who remains in custody on five million dollars bail with arraignment scheduled for July 7. Authorities allege the killing was premeditated and that Narne staged the scene after strangling his 27-year-old wife, Raajitha Sabbineni. On October 27 he called police claiming she was locked in the bathroom. Officers forced entry and found her on the floor. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide by asphyxia due to strangulation. Narne told investigators he had left for errands and returned to find her unresponsive. Smart-lock records confirmed he exited but showed no other entries during his absence. Detectives discovered he maintained contact with another woman in India, including four calls on the day of the death. Messages indicate the victim had complained that drinks prepared by Narne tasted bitter, including a smoothie on the day she died that she described as tasting like cough syrup.
