Indian Tech Engineer Charged With Wife's Murder in Washington

The charge was filed in a Washington state court on Tuesday against 34-year-old Arjun Mehta, who was arrested at his home in Bellevue. His wife, Priya Mehta, 31, was discovered dead in the couple's apartment on October 12, 2023, after police responded to a welfare check. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, but no arrests were made at the time.

According to court documents, detectives interviewed Arjun Mehta shortly after his wife's death, but he was not detained. The case remained open as investigators awaited forensic results. The probable cause statement filed with the charge says new evidence, including digital records and witness statements, linked Mehta to the killing.

Prosecutors allege Mehta strangled his wife during an argument and then staged the scene to make it appear she had died by suicide. The couple had been married for five years and had no children. Mehta, who worked as a software developer for a tech company in Seattle, has been held without bail since his arrest.

His first court appearance is scheduled for next week. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. The Indian consulate in Seattle has been notified and is providing assistance to Priya Mehta's family in India, according to a consulate official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The case has drawn attention in the local Indian community, where domestic violence is often a taboo subject. Community leaders have urged members to speak out and seek help if they are in abusive relationships.