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
‘Southern Charm’ Star Rodrigo Reyes Says It Was A “Fool’s Mistake” For JT Thomas To Call Patricia Altschul A “B*tch”

“Rodrigo Reyes from ‘Southern Charm’ Regrets JT Thomas’ Insult Towards Patricia Altschul”

Rodrigo Reyes is getting ready for the upcoming drama in the upcoming…
Rev. Jesse Jackson requests Biden to pardon son Jesse Jackson Jr. and fmr. Alderwoman Sandra Stevens Jackson

Jesse Jackson Urges Biden to Pardon His Son and Former Alderwoman

CHICAGO (WLS) — Reverend Jesse Jackson wrote to President Biden requesting a…
Former White Sox player, analyst Bill Melton dies at 79

Bill Melton, a retired White Sox player and analyst, passes away at the age of 79.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Bill Melton, who spent eight seasons with the Chicago…
Police piece together shooting suspect's escape route after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson killed outside New York Hilton

Law enforcement reconstructs the path taken by the shooting suspect following the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson near the New York Hilton.

NEW YORK — Police searching for the suspected killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO…
Prince Harry reveals why he'll never leave the U.S. and return home with Meghan Markle

Prince Harry ignores rumors about Meghan Markle’s divorce during a book event in New York while his wife, Meghan, stands by Tyler Perry at an LA event.

Prince Harry has used a New York media summit to challenge persistent…
NEW: Trump Announces 'White House AI and Crypto Czar'

UPDATED: Trump Declares ‘Head of AI and Crypto’ for White House

President-elect Donald Trump has made several selections for various Cabinet and administration…
‘House Of Villains’ Star Teresa Giudice Speaks On Her Shocking Elimination: “I Wasn’t Ready To Leave”

Teresa Giudice from ‘House Of Villains’ discusses her unexpected elimination: “I Wasn’t Prepared to Go Yet”

Always expect a twist on E!’s House Of Villains! After The Bachelor‘s…
The love of my life told me to choose between her or my mum. I chose the answer most men would - and ten years later I'm still paying the price: HENRY EYRES

I had to pick between the love of my life and my mother. I made the same choice as many men would, and now, a decade later, I’m still facing the consequences: HENRY EYRES

Nine months into our relationship, my partner Sophie was in the kitchen…
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killer's luxury backpack sparks wild theories on assassination

The luxury backpack of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer stirs up wild theories about the assassination

The individual believed to be responsible for the homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO…
John Fetterman makes shock suggestion on who Biden should pardon next following Hunter's sweetheart deal

John Fetterman’s Surprising Recommendation for Biden’s Next Pardon After Hunter’s Deal

John Fetterman agreed with several Americans who have said that Donald Trump…
'Christmas Star' to grace the night sky this weekend; crescent moon and possibility of more displays of the Northern lights

Don’t Miss the ‘Christmas Star’ in the Night Sky this Weekend; Look Out for the Moon and Potential Northern Lights Shows

A trifecta of stargazing events could be visible in space in the…
The Trouble With Tribbles and...Preemptive Pardons

“The Challenge of Tribbles and Anticipatory Pardons”

                    — Massachusetts Senator…