Naresh Bhatt murder trial resumes Tuesday following testimony from family, friends
MANASSAS, Va. - Court resumes Tuesday in the trial of Naresh Bhatt, the Manassas Park man accused of murdering and dismembering his wife, 28-year-old pediatric nurse Mamta Kafle Bhatt.
The first week of testimony featured people who knew Mamta, including family and friends, who testified that the couple was experiencing relationship issues leading up to her disappearance. The trial is expected to last several more weeks.
Naresh 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 after 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 missed two consecutive shifts.
Naresh Bhatt initially told responding officers he did not believe his wife was missing, claiming he last saw her July 29. Family and friends insisted she would never abandon her infant daughter. Naresh Bhatt contacted police to file a missing persons report on Aug. 5, 2024, telling an officer she threatened to disappear and discussed a potential divorce. Authorities officially declared her involuntarily missing that same day.
Investigators arrested Bhatt on Aug. 22, 2024, after discovering large bloodstains in the home's primary bedroom and bathroom. According to court documents, investigators seized a power saw containing hair fragments and gathered evidence indicating Bhatt visited multiple trash disposal sites. Her body has not been recovered.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press and previous FOX 5 reporting.