Key Points
- Avinash Narne, 30, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his wife in Bellevue, Washington.timesofindia.indiatimes+1
- Prosecutors allege the death was a premeditated strangulation and that a crime scene was staged before police arrived.king5+1
- The victim, Sabbineni Rajitha, was found dead on October 27, 2025, in the couple’s Bellevue apartment.bellevuebeatblog+1
- Narne was held on $5 million bail, according to reporting and court filings cited by local outlets.timesofindia.indiatimes+2
- Charging documents say investigators found no evidence that anyone else entered the home at the time.
- Prosecutors also said Narne had a secret relationship with a woman in India and called her multiple times on the day his wife died.
- Narne appeared in court and entered a not guilty plea, with arraignment scheduling reported for July 7 and trial-related dates reported by outlets.king5+1
How did Bellevue police and prosecutors build the case?
Bellevue (KingCountyInsider.com) July 8, 2026 – Avinash Narne has been charged in King County in the death of his wife nearly eight months after police found her unresponsive in the couple’s apartment, according to reporting by local outlets and charging documents cited in those reports.bellevuebeatblog+2
What did prosecutors say happened in October 2025?
According to KING 5 reporting by the station’s newsroom, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed a first-degree murder charge on July 1, 2026, in the October 2025 death of Sabbineni Rajitha. The report said prosecutors allege Narne strangled his wife and staged the scene before police arrived. A Bellevue Beat Blog update also said the court formally charged Narne with murder in the first degree on July 1, 2026.bellevuebeatblog+1
What was reported about the day Rajitha was found?
TOI’s report said Rajitha was found dead on October 27, 2025, after Narne told police he discovered her on the floor after returning home from work. The same report said medical examiners determined she died from asphyxia due to strangulation. KING 5 likewise reported that prosecutors say Narne staged the crime scene after strangling his wife.king5+1
What did investigators say about the apartment?
According to the court-document details summarized by TOI, investigators used smart-lock data and other evidence to conclude that Narne left the apartment briefly, but no one else entered during that period. TOI also reported that detectives believed Narne’s account did not match the timeline established by the evidence. Bellevue Beat Blog said the arrest followed a follow-up interview with the spouse of the deceased and evidence collected during the investigation.bellevuebeatblog+1
What role did the alleged relationship in India play?
TOI reported that investigators said Narne had a secret relationship with another woman in India before his marriage, and that the communication continued after the wedding. The report also said Narne called the woman in India at least four times on the day Rajitha died. The same source said detectives were told Narne sent a photo of Rajitha’s body in later communications, based on court-document reporting.
What happened in court?
TOI said Narne appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the premeditated murder allegation. KING 5 reported that he remained in custody on $5 million bail and that his arraignment was set for July 7. A Bellevue Beat Blog post also stated that Narne was booked into King County Jail and held on $5 million bail.king5+2
Who are the main people and media names in the reports?
The reporting identified the accused as Avinash Narne and the victim as Sabbineni Rajitha. The local coverage referenced the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Bellevue Police, and King County Jail in describing the case’s progress. The detailed allegations about the relationship in India and the timeline of the death were summarized in TOI’s report on July 7, 2026.bellevuebeatblog+2
What is the background of this development?
The case began after Rajitha was found dead in the couple’s Bellevue apartment on October 27, 2025, and police initially treated the death as suspicious before the case developed into a homicide investigation. Over the following months, investigators reviewed apartment-access data, interviews, and other evidence before prosecutors filed the murder charge. Local reporting says Narne had been free for months before the formal charge and arrest action in late June and early July 2026.king5+2
What is the prediction for people affected by this case?
For Rajitha’s family, the case is likely to remain focused on the criminal court process, including hearings, evidence review, and the state’s effort to prove premeditation. For Narne, the main immediate effect is continued custody, a high bail amount, and the possibility of a lengthy felony trial if the case moves forward. For the Bellevue community, the case may keep attention on domestic-violence investigations, apartment security evidence, and how quickly suspicious deaths can shift into murder prosecutions when forensic findings develop.
