Mamta Bhatt update: Naresh Bhatt of Virginia charged with murder 4 months after wife disappeared in Manassas Park, Va.

MANASSAS PARK, Va. — A Virginia man has been charged with murder more than four months after his wife disappeared and a substantial amount of blood was found in their suburban Washington home, authorities announced Monday.

Naresh Bhatt, 37, was indicted by a Prince William County grand jury and faces a charge of murder as well as a count of defiling a dead body, according to online court documents.

The body of Mamta Bhatt, 28, has not been found. But investigators linked her DNA to the blood found in the couple’s home, Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo said Monday evening at a news conference.

“From the beginning, we believed that she was murdered,” Lugo told reporters.

Investigators conducted their first search warrant when Naresh Bhatt was home with the couple’s baby and discovered blood in the bedroom as well as the bathroom, Lugo said.

He added that evidence shows that Bhatt cut up his wife’s body, which prompted the defiling charge.

“I feel we have a strong case for not having the body,” Lugo said.

Chief Public Defender Tracey Lenox did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment on the new charges against Bhatt, who is already in jail awaiting trial on separate charges in the case.

The investigation has drawn international attention to the small northern Virginia community, where homicide cases are rare. The disappearance of Mamta Bhatt, a pediatric nurse, spurred community members and her family in Nepal to band together to try to figure out what happened.

They posted on social media, hosted community events and held a rally. Within days, community members began to apply public pressure on her husband.

Three weeks after her disappearance in late July, Naresh Bhatt was charged with a felony count of concealing a dead body and placed in jail, where he remains. A prosecutor had said in court over the summer that the amount of blood found in the home indicated injuries that were not survivable.

Flowers, candles and photos are placed near Mamta Kafle Bhatt's mailbox in Manassas Park, Va., Sept. 4, 2024.

Flowers, candles and photos are placed near Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s mailbox in Manassas Park, Va., Sept. 4, 2024.

AP Photo/Olivia Diaz, File

The investigation continued in Mamta Bhatt’s death. But in September, Lenox, the public defender, argued that Naresh Bhatt was still entitled to a speedy trial on the count of concealing a dead body. The trial on that charge was scheduled for next week.

Bodiless murder cases are not unheard of, according to law enforcement experts. And while they can still be difficult to prosecute, they’ve become easier in recent years because of new types of evidence, such as DNA, cellphone location information and surveillance cameras.

Tad DiBiase is a former federal prosecutor and author of the 2014 book, “No-Body Homicide Cases: A Practical Guide to Investigating, Prosecuting and Winning Cases When the Victim is Missing.”

He keeps a tally of bodiless murder trials on his website. As of September 2, DiBiase noted that there was an 87% conviction rate after 604 trials across the U.S.

Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like
Doctors told me my unborn baby wouldn't survive unless I terminated his twin... but I refused

Doctors said my baby wouldn’t survive unless I ended his twin – I didn’t listen

Abigail Whitlock experienced a heartbreaking turn of events during her much-anticipated pregnancy…
Where is Austin Tice? Missing Houston native may still be alive 12 years after being captured by Syrian forces, family says

The whereabouts of Austin Tice remain unknown. Family believes Houston native, who was taken by Syrian forces 12 years ago, could still be alive.

HOUSTON, Texas — The family of Austin Tice, a Marine veteran and…
Who is Bashar al-Assad's wife Asma? How his British-born wife gave up a job in banking to become a key figure in his tyrannical regime before fleeing Syria as their reign ended days Befort their 24th wedding anniversary

“From Banking to Power: The Story of Bashar al-Assad’s Wife Asma in his Regime and Escape from Syria”

After fleeing the downfall of her husband Bashar Al Assad’s regime, the…
Former Chicago White Sox star Dick Allen elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

Dick Allen, a former star player for the Chicago White Sox, has been chosen to join the Baseball Hall of Fame.

DALLAS — After patiently awaiting recognition from Cooperstown for almost 30 years,…
Crocodile Dundee star Linda Kozlowski is seen in rare sighting almost 25 years after leaving Hollywood behind

Linda Kozlowski, known for her role in Crocodile Dundee, spotted after nearly 25 years away from Hollywood

She famously bid adieu to Hollywood nearly 25 years ago and has…
Trump Names Fierce Attorney Who Defended Him in Multiple Cases As 'Counselor to the President'

Attorney Who Defended Trump in Multiple Cases Appointed as ‘Counselor to the President’

She fully understands the “Weaponization of the ‘Injustice’ System,” the Trump-Vance transition…
National Christmas Tree Lighting Interrupted by Joe Biden Being a Complete Weirdo

Weekly Recap: Biden’s Surprise Gift to Trump, Unusual Behavior, and Critique of Chuck Todd

Welcome to the RedState Weekly Briefing — where we recap the most…
The 2024 Kennedy Center Honors: Queen Latifah, The Grateful Dead, more

2024 Kennedy Center Honors lineup includes Queen Latifah and The Grateful Dead

1 1 of 29 Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir, and Mickey Hart of…
Missing mom who worked at Walmart discovered dead inside hammock in Alabama forest... two months after she disappeared

Mother who was employed at Walmart found deceased in a hammock in a forest in Alabama after vanishing for two months

An Ohio mother was found dead inside a hammock after vanishing two months…
Donald Trump tariffs: President-elect says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and promises swift immigration action

Potential price increase in US due to Donald Trump’s tariffs, with no guarantee of price stability. President-elect pledges to address immigration promptly.

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump expressed uncertainty about the impact of his promised…
To Protect His Wife, Canada Man Takes on Apex Predator and Lives to Tell the Tale

Canadian Man Defeats Apex Predator to Save his Wife and Survives to Share the Story

What wouldn’t a real man do to protect his family? In a…
How Americans could be advised to drink maximum of two beers per WEEK under new guidelines

New guidelines recommend that Americans limit beer consumption to two drinks per week

Americans could soon be urged to drink no more than two bottles…