Naresh Bhatt trial resumes Thursday after jurors shown suspected blood evidence
Naresh Bhatt murder trial resumes Thursday
As trial proceedings resume Thursday, prosecutors continue building their case against Naresh Bhatt, the northern Virginia man accused of murdering and dismembering his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt.
MANASSAS, Va. - As trial proceedings resume Thursday, prosecutors continue building their case against Naresh Bhatt, the northern Virginia man accused of murdering and dismembering his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt.
Jurors were shown new images of suspected blood evidence and video footage on Wednesday. A former Prince William County forensics investigator testified regarding evidence gathered from the couple’s home, including a large section of master bedroom carpet that reacted to a chemical agent used to detect trace amounts of blood, as well as photographs of tiny brownish-red stains swabbed from a bathroom windowsill. Prosecutors also introduced photos of zip ties, cleaning supplies, and Mamta Kafle Bhatt's wallet containing three unexpired credit cards, while beginning to present cell phone records alongside data linked to Bhatt’s Tesla.
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Bhatt, who has remained in custody since his arrest in August 2024, faces charges of first-degree murder, concealing a dead body, and defiling a dead body.
The case began when Mamta failed to report for her shift at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center on Aug. 1, 2024. Her co-workers requested a welfare check at the couple's Heather Court home the following day after she failed to show up for two consecutive days.
Bhatt initially told responding officers that he did not believe his wife was missing, claiming he last saw her on July 29. However, family and friends insisted that Mamta would never abandon her infant daughter.
Bhatt reached out to file a missing persons report on Aug. 5, 2024. Police initially lacked information suggesting Mamta was in danger, with Bhatt telling an officer she threatened to disappear and speaking of a possible divorce. However, authorities officially declared her involuntarily missing on Aug. 5, 2024.
Investigators arrested Bhatt on Aug. 22, 2024, after discovering large bloodstains in the primary bedroom and bathroom. According to court documents, investigators seized a power saw containing hair fragments from the residence and gathered evidence indicating Bhatt visited multiple trash disposal sites. Her body has never been recovered.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press, court proceedings and previous FOX 5 reporting.