A 30-year-old Indian software engineer named Avinash Narne has been arrested in connection with the strangulation death of his wife, Raajitha Sabbineni, at their shared apartment in the United States. The arrest occurred nearly nine months after the 27-year-old woman was discovered dead in a locked bathroom.
On October 27, 2025, Narne contacted authorities to report that his wife had locked herself inside the bathroom and was not responding. Officers forced entry and found Sabbineni unresponsive on the floor. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Narne initially claimed he had stepped out for errands and returned about 40 minutes later to find the bathroom door secured from inside.
Investigators found no evidence of any other person entering the residence during his absence. The following day, the medical examiner determined the death was a homicide caused by asphyxia due to strangulation. Authorities concluded that the scene had been staged.
Further inquiry uncovered that Narne had maintained a long-term secret relationship with a woman in India. The pair continued their involvement even after Narne entered into an arranged marriage with Sabbineni on June 5, 2025. Notably, his girlfriend reportedly attended the wedding ceremony.
Records show Narne called his girlfriend multiple times on the day of the incident, including around the period when he said he was trying to access the locked bathroom. He also sent her a photograph of his wife’s body, according to officials.
Text messages from Sabbineni to Narne revealed her repeated complaints about beverages he prepared for her, which she described as having a bitter taste. On the day she died, she specifically messaged him that a smoothie he made tasted like medicine or cough syrup.
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Narne was charged with first-degree murder on July 5 and remains in custody with bail set at $5 million. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life imprisonment.
The case highlights a tragic intersection of personal relationships and alleged criminal intent, where digital communications and physical evidence played key roles in building the prosecution’s narrative.