The husband of a missing woman from Manassas Park, Virginia, has been indicted on charges of murder and defiling a corpse.
Naresh Bhatt, 37, was initially charged in August for concealing the body of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, who was last seen in July. Despite extensive investigations, her body remains undiscovered.
On Wednesday, Bhatt is set to appear in Prince William Circuit Court to face formal charges after a delay caused by the unavailability of a Nepalese interpreter on Tuesday.
During a news conference on Monday evening, Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo revealed that matching Mamta’s DNA to blood found at the couple’s home was a significant breakthrough leading to the updated charges. He emphasized the weight of the evidence against Bhatt, stating, “The forensic unit at Prince William County described the crime scene as one of the worst they’ve encountered.”
Chief Lugo expressed regret that Mamta’s family learned some details about the charges from court postings before the police could inform them.
Although police have not yet questioned Bhatt, all evidence collected has been handed over to prosecutors, who presented it to a grand jury on Monday, leading to the indictment. Lugo expressed confidence in the case, saying, “We have a strong case despite the absence of a body,” while reaffirming the ongoing effort to locate Mamta’s remains.
Lugo suggested that Mamta was likely dismembered in the home, a grim theory supported by blood evidence found in the bedroom and bathroom during the initial search. Investigators believe Bhatt dismembered her body, which resulted in the defiling charge.
Prosecutors presented a timeline of events, placing Mamta’s last known video call with her mother on July 29, the day police believe she was killed. On July 30, Bhatt was seen dropping off the couple’s daughter at a babysitter’s apartment before dumping plastic and trash bags into a dumpster. Later, surveillance footage captured him purchasing knives and heavy-duty trash bags from Home Depot and Walmart.
On July 31, at 1:30 a.m., Bhatt was recorded in Falls Church retrieving bags from his Tesla and disposing of them in a trash compactor. His Tesla’s location data placed him there, though his phone was inactive at the time. That morning, the Bhatt residence used over 150 gallons of water, far exceeding the typical daily usage.
Three weeks after Mamta’s disappearance, Bhatt was arrested and charged with concealing a dead body. During earlier court hearings, prosecutors noted that the blood evidence indicated injuries too severe to survive.
As the case progressed, public defender Tracey Lenox argued in September for Bhatt’s right to a speedy trial on the concealment charge, which is set for next week.
Holly Wirth, a former colleague of Mamta and spokesperson for her family, described the indictment as a step toward justice. “The family feels a sense of relief,” she said. “Their focus remains on justice for Mamta and securing a future for her baby. This is not a celebration.”
Angel Rodas, a domestic violence survivor who participated in earlier searches for Mamta, expressed her belief in Bhatt’s guilt. “People with narcissistic tendencies lack remorse,” she said. “Every time I saw him in court, there was no remorse. I just wish he had admitted it to spare everyone the pain and give Mamta’s family the chance to grieve.”