Smoothie tasted like cough syrup: Clue in wife's murder by Telangana techie in US
On the day she was killed by her husband, Raajitha Sabbineni messaged him that a smoothie he had prepared tasted like 'cough syrup', raising suspicions that he may have attempted to poison her before the murder.
A series of messages in which a 27-year-old Indian woman complained that drinks prepared by her husband tasted like "medicine" and "cough syrup" have emerged as a key piece of evidence in her murder case in the US, with her husband now charged with strangling her.
The woman, Raajitha Sabbineni, was killed by her husband, Avinash Narne, from Telangana, at their apartment in Washington in October 2025. He has since been arrested and police believe the motive was his relationship with another woman in India.
An autopsy concluded that Sabbineni died from asphyxia caused by strangling, while her 30-year-old husband initially claimed that she was away when the incident occurred.
However, police found suspicious chats on Narne's phone about unusually bitter smoothies he had prepared for her, raising suspicions that he may have attempted to poison her multiple times before her murder.
On the day she died, Sabbineni messaged Narne that a smoothie he had made tasted like "medicine" and "cough syrup", according to local media.
Moreover, when police officers visited the couple's home after Narne reported that his wife was not responding, he claimed that she was unwell and may have collapsed after consuming cough syrup.
Police also found internet searches related to poisons on Narne's electronic devices, according to local media reports cited in the charging documents.
This turned out to be a crucial piece of information that led investigators to the breakthrough that Narne had strangled Sabbineni at their apartment in Bellevue.
The case against the Telangana man was further strengthened after police found digital evidence contradicting Narne's claim that an unknown person could have entered the apartment while he was away.
Data obtained from the apartment's smart-lock and front-door security systems showed that although Narne briefly left the residence, no one else entered the apartment during that period.
Investigators also found that Narne spoke to his lover in India multiple times on the day of Sabbineni's death, including around the time he later claimed he was trying to gain access to a locked bathroom.
According to police, Narne also admitted to sending the woman a photograph of Sabbineni's body the day after her death.
Following months of forensic analysis, questioning, and a review of digital records, Bellevue Police arrested Narne. On July 1, prosecutors formally charged him with first-degree murder, alleging that the killing was intentional and premeditated.
Narne remains in custody on bail set at USD 5 million (approximately Rs 4.3 crore). If convicted, he could face life imprisonment under Washington state law.