JADED EVIDENCE / INTERACTIVE INVESTIGATION / BURLINGTON, VERMONT
Lila Darjee Khadka: Burlington Domestic Homicide and Bal Khadka Prosecution
Last checked October 15, 2026 · Facts over speculation · Follow the evidence
Case overview and current legal status
Status: Bal Khadka charged with second-degree murder and child-cruelty counts; not guilty plea reported October 13; held without bail.
Lila Darjee Khadka, 44, died at the University of Vermont Medical Center on October 11, 2026 after sustaining traumatic head injuries.
Editorial standard: Charges, witness accounts, complaint allegations, and media reporting are not proof of guilt. No unresolved question is presented as a conclusion.
People and documented roles
Profiles — View More
- Lila Darjee Khadka: Homicide victim
- Bal Khadka: Husband and charged defendant
- Detective Corporal Erica Schaller: Burlington Police investigator and affiant, according to court reporting
- Stacie Johnson: Public defender who entered not-guilty pleas according to court reporting
Chronological interactive timeline
Select an event to read the evidentiary basis. Times are shown only if grounded in reporting.
1. October 10, 2026, approximately 5:48 a.m. — View More
Police received multiple emergency calls and responded to a residence in Burlington; officers found Lila unresponsive with severe head injuries.
Evidence status: See linked reporting and original agency notices; details remain subject to authenticated record review.
2. October 10, 2026 — View More
Bal Khadka was initially arrested on attempted second-degree murder allegations; police reported three juveniles were present.
Evidence status: See linked reporting and original agency notices; details remain subject to authenticated record review.
3. October 11, 2026, approximately 7:07 p.m. — View More
Police say Lila was pronounced dead at the University of Vermont Medical Center.
Evidence status: See linked reporting and original agency notices; details remain subject to authenticated record review.
4. October 12, 2026 — View More
Burlington Police published an updated homicide release reflecting a second-degree murder allegation.
Evidence status: See linked reporting and original agency notices; details remain subject to authenticated record review.
5. October 13, 2026 — View More
Court reporting described a not-guilty plea to second-degree murder and three cruelty-to-a-child counts.
Evidence status: See linked reporting and original agency notices; details remain subject to authenticated record review.
Evidence and investigative exhibits
Evidence card: Police affidavit — View More
Reporting describes an alleged flashlight assault and juvenile eyewitness accounts; the original affidavit should be obtained for precise attribution.
Document status: Original exhibit or lab report not yet independently verified unless linked below.
Evidence card: Emergency response — View More
The official police report records the response time and critical condition; exact sequence before officers arrived is disputed or still under investigation.
Document status: Original exhibit or lab report not yet independently verified unless linked below.
Evidence card: Prior incidents — View More
Earlier reported protective-order and domestic-violence matters warrant checking original docket dispositions.
Document status: Original exhibit or lab report not yet independently verified unless linked below.
Prosecution and defense theories
Prosecution or agency allegations — View More
Bal Khadka charged with second-degree murder and child-cruelty counts; not guilty plea reported October 13; held without bail.
Any police or prosecutor allegation remains subject to challenge and judicial findings.
Defense, disputes, and evidentiary limits — View More
A public defender entered not-guilty pleas. No detailed trial defense theory is publicly established. Prior allegations are not convictions unless confirmed in court records.
Proceedings, verdict, sentence and appeal
Bal Khadka charged with second-degree murder and child-cruelty counts; not guilty plea reported October 13; held without bail.
Verdict: None verified. Sentence: Not applicable. Appeal: Not applicable. This section will be updated as proceedings develop.
Unresolved questions
Questions requiring source-document review — View More
- Can the October affidavit and prior protection-order docket be obtained?
- What do medical and forensic examinations establish about injury timing?
- Which child-related counts are formally charged and what are their procedural outcomes?
Court records, police releases and reporting
- Burlington Police October 12 homicide update
- Burlington Police initial release
- Boston Globe arraignment report
Primary affidavits, lab files, autopsies and transcripts are not linked unless their exact source was independently identified. Do not reproduce a paywalled report or unverified document as an official court exhibit.