Garima Kothari death: Pregnant Masterchef contestant killed in murder-suicide, prosecutors say

Medical examiner rules cause of death as upper-body injuries and manner as homicide

A Masterchef finalist turned restaurant owner has been killed in an “apparent murder-suicide” in Jersey City, prosecutors say.

Garima Kothari, 35, was ruled to have been killed on Sunday by multiple upper-body injuries during a homicide, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez.

According to the statement, a medical examiner determined that Ms Kothari was around five months pregnant when she was murdered.

Man Mohan Mall, 37, who is reported to be Ms Kothari’s husband, was also found dead in the Hudson River close to 8am on Sunday, prosecutors said.

Jersey Police were said to have discovered the couple on 26 April after responding to a report of a possible suicide attempt in the Hudson River near Montgomery Street in Jersey City.

The chef and owner of restaurant Nukkad was reported to have previously competed in as one of the final fifteen contestants of Masterchef India in 2010.

Ms Kothari was found dead in an apartment the couple shared at around 7.15am, and prosecutors said she had sustained apparent trauma to her upper body.

Mr Mall’s cause of death is still yet to be determined by a medical examiner, Prosecutor Esther Suarez said in the statement.

According to a report by Too Fab, Ms Kothari opened an “Indian soul food” restaurant Nukkad in February, but was forced to shut down soon after due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On what appeared to be Ms Kothari’s Facebook page, she announced that she would be re-opening the restaurant for delivery and take away on 19 April, only days before her murder.

“While it remains at this time that these deaths are the result of a murder-suicide, the final determination is still pending the complete findings of the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office,” Prosecutor Esther Suarez’s statement read.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at 201-915-1345.