Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s brother testifies on Day 15 of Naresh Bhatt murder trial
Day 15 of Bhatt trial focuses on forensic evidence inside home
Mamta Kafle Bhatt's brother testified in the murder trial against Naresh Bhatt on Day 15 as an expert focused on forensic evidence inside the couple's Northern Virginia home.
MANASSAS, Va. - Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s brother took the stand Monday in the murder trial against her husband, Naresh Bhatt, testifying about concerns for his sister’s safety in her marriage.
What we know:
Naresh is accused of killing and dismembering Mamta Kafle. He faces charges of first-degree murder, concealing a dead body, and defiling a dead body. He has remained in custody since his August 2024 arrest.
Over the past two weeks, jurors viewed some of the case's most compelling evidence, including a power saw that prosecutors said contained blood and hair fragments. During opening statements, the county’s deputy commonwealth’s attorney identified the tool as a murder weapon.
Prosecutors also presented text messages showing Bhatt arguing with his wife and telling another person he wanted a Colombian woman. The prosecution argued the exchanges established a motive, alleging Bhatt killed his wife because he was ready to move on.
Mamta's brother and forensic expert testify
On Monday, day 15 of the trial, Mamta’s brother answered a few preliminary questions and confirmed that he met with Naresh before the couple got married.
A forensic expert also spent the greater part of Monday on the stand detailing and at times defending an analysis of the blood found in the couple’s home.
Forensic analyst and expert Iris Dalley Graff testified about how blood spreads and is absorbed through carpet. She also explained the blood stain patterns in the family’s bedroom and bathroom. She noted that she did not analyze the scene.
A family friend also took the stand Monday, saying Naresh gave her the couple’s wedding jewelry, and told her that Mamta was at work on August 1, 2024, when friends said they last saw her on July 27, 2024.
The prosecution is expected to rest its case on Monday.
The backstory
The case began when Mamta Kafle Bhatt failed to report for work at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center on Aug. 1, 2024. Co-workers requested a welfare check at the couple’s Heather Court home the following day. Bhatt initially told officers he did not believe his wife was missing and claimed he last saw her July 29, though relatives maintained she would never abandon her infant daughter.
Bhatt officially filed a missing person report on Aug. 5, 2024, telling officers his wife had threatened to leave and suggested a divorce. Later that day, authorities classified her disappearance as involuntary.
Police arrested Bhatt on Aug. 22, 2024, after uncovering extensive bloodstains inside the primary bedroom and bathroom of the home. Her body has not been found.
The Source: Information in this article comes from court proceedings and original FOX 5 DC reporting.