A man accused of attacking his estranged wife at her home last week will now face first-degree murder charges following her death.
Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano announced the upgraded charge against Timma Kalidindi on Monday. The 48-year-old Bridgewater Township man initially was charged with attempted murder after Thursday night's attack.
Soriano says police went to the home after someone there called 911 to report a violent dispute. Officers encountered Kalidindi at the front door, where he immediately surrendered.
Once inside the residence, the officers found an unresponsive 43-year-old Janaki Dantuluru lying on the garage floor with a braided rope around her neck. They were able to revive her before she was taken to a hospital, but Soriano said she died there from her injuries early Saturday.
An autopsy conducted by the state Medical Examiner's office determined that the death was a homicide, Soriano said Monday.
With the upgraded charge, Kalidindi's bail was raised from $500,000 cash to $1.5 million cash. He remained jailed Monday, and it was not known if he has retained an attorney.
Authorities have not provided further detail on the matter, including how long the couple had been estranged or what may have what spurred the attack.
