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Newcastle Indian-origin family dead in suspected murder-suicide
According to the Medical Examiner’s findings, Dhruva Kikkeri died from a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a homicide.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 01, May 2025
- 16:51 EDT
- 136
Shwetha Panyam and Harshavardhana Kikkeri / HoloWorld
An Indian-origin family of three was found dead following a shooting at their townhouse in Newcastle, a city southeast of Seattle, in what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the deceased as 44-year-old Harshavardhana Kikkeri, 44-year-old Shwetha Panyam, and their 14-year-old son, Dhruva Kikkeri. All three were pronounced dead at the scene on the night of April 24.
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The King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) said deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting at a residence in the 7000 block of 129th Avenue Southeast shortly after 8 p.m. Law enforcement remained at the scene until nearly 4 a.m. the following morning, Seattle times reported.
According to the Medical Examiner’s findings, Dhruva Kikkeri died from a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a homicide. Shwetha Panyam suffered gunshot wounds to the head and torso, and her death was also classified as a homicide. Harshavardhana Kikkeri died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, with his death ruled a suicide.
Harshavardhana Kikkeri was the founder and CEO of HoloWorld, a tech company focusing on artificial intelligence and immersive computing. Originally from Kikkeri village in Karnataka, India, he completed his early education in Mysuru before moving to the United States, where he earned a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University. He previously worked at Microsoft, where he focused on robotics.
According to the description of a TEDx talk posted on YouTube, Kikkeri received multiple leadership accolades over the course of his career, including a Gold Star award from Microsoft, an Excellence Award from Infosys, and a Bharat Petroleum Scholarship.
As of now, the motive remains unclear. The Sheriff’s Office has urged the public to await the results of the ongoing investigation.
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