Mysuru tech CEO kills self, wife and son found shot dead in US home in suspected murder-suicide
The bodies were discovered at the family’s residence in King County, Washington, according to multiple US media reports
- Apr 30, 2025,
- Updated Apr 30, 2025 11:52 AM IST
A tragic sequence unfolded near Seattle last week, where Mysuru-based tech entrepreneur Harshavardhana Kikkeri was found dead alongside his wife and teenage son in what police suspect to be a murder-suicide. The bodies were discovered at the family’s residence in King County, Washington, according to multiple US media reports.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims as 57-year-old Harshavardhana Kikkeri, CEO of robotics firm HoloWorld, his 44-year-old wife and company co-founder Shwetha Panyam, and their 14-year-old son. A second son, aged 7, survived the incident as he was reportedly outside the home when the shootings occurred.
Police were called to the residence on 129th Place Southeast around 7 pm on Thursday after a 911 call. On arrival, officers found blood smeared on the front window and a hollow-point bullet on the street. “An investigation such as this takes time, and our detectives are working diligently to try and piece together what led to this incident,” King County Sheriff's spokesperson Brandyn Hull told The Seattle Times.
Hull confirmed that the current theory points to a murder-suicide, but said authorities are still determining the motive behind the act.
The family, described as quiet and private by neighbours, had relocated to the US after establishing strong professional roots in India. Homeowners association president Alex Gumina said they “mostly kept to themselves.”
Harshavardhana Kikkeri was originally from Kikkeri village in Karnataka. He completed his education in Mysuru before moving to the US for a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University. A former Microsoft employee with a focus on robotics, Kikkeri had also worked at Infosys and held 44 international patents spanning the US, China, Japan, and Europe.
A TEDx talk description lists several honours credited to him, including Microsoft's Gold Star award, an Infosys Excellence Award, a Bharat Petroleum scholarship, and achievements in chess.
DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)
A tragic sequence unfolded near Seattle last week, where Mysuru-based tech entrepreneur Harshavardhana Kikkeri was found dead alongside his wife and teenage son in what police suspect to be a murder-suicide. The bodies were discovered at the family’s residence in King County, Washington, according to multiple US media reports.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims as 57-year-old Harshavardhana Kikkeri, CEO of robotics firm HoloWorld, his 44-year-old wife and company co-founder Shwetha Panyam, and their 14-year-old son. A second son, aged 7, survived the incident as he was reportedly outside the home when the shootings occurred.
Police were called to the residence on 129th Place Southeast around 7 pm on Thursday after a 911 call. On arrival, officers found blood smeared on the front window and a hollow-point bullet on the street. “An investigation such as this takes time, and our detectives are working diligently to try and piece together what led to this incident,” King County Sheriff's spokesperson Brandyn Hull told The Seattle Times.
Hull confirmed that the current theory points to a murder-suicide, but said authorities are still determining the motive behind the act.
The family, described as quiet and private by neighbours, had relocated to the US after establishing strong professional roots in India. Homeowners association president Alex Gumina said they “mostly kept to themselves.”
Harshavardhana Kikkeri was originally from Kikkeri village in Karnataka. He completed his education in Mysuru before moving to the US for a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University. A former Microsoft employee with a focus on robotics, Kikkeri had also worked at Infosys and held 44 international patents spanning the US, China, Japan, and Europe.
A TEDx talk description lists several honours credited to him, including Microsoft's Gold Star award, an Infosys Excellence Award, a Bharat Petroleum scholarship, and achievements in chess.
DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)