US: Murdered AP techie’s husband not charged, may attend funeral in India

The husband of a 38-year-old Indian woman who was found murdered along with her six-year-old son in their home in the US, has not been charged with any crime and is expected to attend their funeral in India, media reports said.

Hanumantha Rao Narra also called "Hannu", found the bodies of his wife Sasikala Narra and son Anish Narra, on March 23 inside their residence at the Fox Meadow Apartments in Maple Shade in New Jersey's Burlington County. Narra is expected to attend their funeral in India, the CBSPhilly reported.

He has not been charged with a crime and is free to attend a planned funeral for them in India, Joel Bewley, a spokesman for the prosecutor said. "His movements are not restricted in any way by the criminal justice system," Bewley said.

He said he will not comment on whether Narra is a suspect and the office does not comment on past, present, or future suspects.

A source involved in the investigation was quoted by Eyewitness News as saying that Narra was involved in a relationship with another woman as of last week, an allegation that had been levelled by Narra's in-laws in India as well. The source, however, said that Narra has a strong alibi in the case.

The bodies were autopsied and released to a funeral home in North Jersey where Narra is believed to be this week. Police in Maple Shade continue to take tips, but the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office is the lead on the case.

According to a statement provided by Burlington County Prosecutor's Office shortly after the killings, law enforcement officials had strongly denied that the killings were linked to any hate crime or bias given the Indian-origin of the victims.

Preliminary investigation had disclosed that both the victims were stabbed multiple times. The Telugu Association of North America, a group that assists Indian people here who speak the Telugu language had flown the victims' bodies to India on Thursday.