HYDERABAD: A message sent by 27-year-old Raajitha Sabbineni to her husband on the day she died — saying that the smoothie he had prepared tasted bitter, “like cough syrup” — has emerged as a key piece of evidence in what US authorities now allege was a murder disguised as a sudden death.What was initially reported as the unexplained death of the newly married woman has since turned into a homicide investigation, with US authorities arresting her 30-year-old husband, Avinash Narne, a software engineer from Telangana, on charges of allegedly strangling her just four months after their wedding.According to investigators, Raajitha had also told a friend in the days leading up to her death that her husband had served her a “bitter-tasting” smoothie. Detectives said the messages, along with autopsy findings and other evidence, played a crucial role in identifying Avinash as the prime suspect.Avinash was arrested in connection with the alleged murder of Raajitha at their apartment in Bellevue, Washington, on October 27, 2025. Investigators said he initially called 911, claiming he had returned home after running errands to find his wife unresponsive inside a locked bathroom. Police and emergency responders forced open the door and attempted CPR before she was declared dead.The investigation took a dramatic turn after an autopsy concluded that Raajitha had died of asphyxia due to strangulation, contradicting the initial account of a sudden death.Detectives also uncovered evidence of Avinash’s alleged relationship with another woman in India, which investigators believe may have been linked to the crime. According to court documents, he allegedly called the woman at least four times on the day of Raajitha’s death, including around the time he later claimed he was trying to enter the locked bathroom.Investigators further alleged that Avinash sent the woman a photograph of Raajitha’s body after the alleged murder. When questioned about deleted messages exchanged with the woman, he allegedly admitted to sending the image.Police said the woman had attended the couple’s wedding on June 5, 2025, and that Avinash remained in contact with her even after his marriage. Raajitha had moved from Texas to the Seattle area after the wedding to begin her married life.When The Times of India contacted members of the Telugu community who helped facilitate Raajitha’s cremation, they said neither they nor others involved had any indication that the death was being investigated as a homicide.“When we spoke to him, there was nothing to suggest that it was a murder case or that he himself was a suspect. We were shocked when we later learnt what the police had alleged,” a volunteer associated with the cremation process told TOI.The volunteer said Avinash completed all the formalities for the cremation. According to the account shared with volunteers, Raajitha had been feeling unwell since the morning of October 27. They were told she had spoken to her parents and later called her husband, asking him to bring food and medicine. By the time he returned, she was unresponsive, prompting a friend to call 911.
