Google project manager arrested on suspicion of wife's death in Hawaii

Police have not yet positively identified the body

Smriti Saxena (Hawaii Police Department)

A Google project manager was arrested in Hawaii on Wednesday on suspicion of the second degree murder of of his wife.

Sonom Saxena, 43, was arrested after his wife, Smriti, went missing a day earlier. A body was found near Aneaho’omalu Bay, her last known location, Hawaii police said.

The police have yet to positively identify the body as Ms Saxena.

Prior to police finding the body, Mr Saxena told news outlet West Hawaii Today that he last saw his wife in that area, and that she had suffered an asthma attack. He said he offered to return to their room at the Waikoloa Beach Resort to get her inhaler and spare her the walk back.

“So I said, ‘hey you know what? You stay here, you have your phone with you and I’ll just go to the room, grab your inhaler and pump and come back,’” he said. “I did that. Went to the room, picked up the inhaler, came back, and she was missing.”

Mr Saxena said he had been gone for no more than 40 or 50 minutes. He said he was “disturbed” because, upon returning, he found his wife’s phone and purse but she was missing. He said he rushed back to his room to dial 911.

“We called out for her, but there was nothing. No response,” he said.

Mr Saxena put out a call for help on his LinkedIn page.

“Linkedin network my wife Smriti Saxena is missing. Can you please promote this tweet so that I can tell my daughters where their Mom is #help.”

The Saxenas have two children, aged eight and 13.