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
Texas lawyer issues defiant response after attacks over accusations Jay Z raped 13-year-old girl with Diddy after MTV VMAs

Texas attorney gives strong reply after facing backlash for claims Jay Z and Diddy assaulted a 13-year-old girl following MTV VMAs

The Texas attorney who submitted a number of anonymous complaints against hip…
Adam Kinzinger Stomps His Little Foot and Insists He’s Not Afraid of Trump’s Jail Threat

Adam Kinzinger bravely stands his ground against Trump’s jail threat

Adam Kinzinger, who was deeply upset by the Capitol protests in 2021,…
UnitedHealthcare CEO killer update: NYPD detectives follow leads to Atlanta amid manhunt in murder of Brian Thompson

Manhunt intensifies as NYPD detectives track leads to Atlanta in murder investigation of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson

NEW YORK — New York police detectives arrived in Atlanta on Saturday…
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,…
'Polarization' is Merriam-Webster's 2024 word of the year; editor at large Peter Sokolowski talks US election, Rachael Gunn

Merriam-Webster’s 2024 word of the year is ‘Polarization’; Peter Sokolowski, the senior editor, discusses its impact on the US election and Rachael Gunn.

The aftermath of the 2024 U.S. presidential election shook the nation and…
Cicero car chase ends in shooting crash in Chicago with 1 dead, 6 injured at Roosevelt and Cicero in Lawndale

Police pursuit in Cicero results in a shooting accident in Chicago, leaving 1 dead and 6 injured at Roosevelt and Cicero in Lawndale.

CICERO, Ill. (WLS) — An investigation is ongoing after a car chase…
I'm 54, with a much younger boyfriend. Here's EXACTLY what a French sexologist taught me about how to keep him by being brilliant in bed

How a French sexologist taught me to impress my younger boyfriend in bed at 54

A lot can change in a lifetime – marriage, divorce, our health…
Golden Globes nominations 2025: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo join Cate Blanchett, Selena Gomez and Demi Moore among award hopefuls as Emilia Perez wins TEN nods and Gladiator II is brutally snubbed

Golden Globes 2025 Nominations: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Among Award Hopefuls, Emilia Perez Emerges as Top Winner

Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and the musical drama Emilia Perez stood out…
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…
Golden Globes nominations announced by Mindy Kaling and Morris Chestnut

Mindy Kaling and Morris Chestnut reveal Golden Globes nominations!

The 2025 Golden Globes nominations are in. “Emilia Pérez” received the highest…
GOP & Con Inc. Prevent Efforts to End Child Genital Mutilation

Republican Party and Conservative Groups Block Attempts to Stop Child Genital Cutting

Last Updated on December 9, 2024 Over the past five years, Texas…
Alyssa Farah Griffin Promises To “Wear A MAGA Hat” On ‘The View’ If Trump Can Get Israeli Hostages Freed

Alyssa Farah Griffin vows to wear a MAGA hat on ‘The View’ if Trump can secure release of Israeli hostages

Alyssa Farah Griffin made a promise her co-hosts would probably prefer she…