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
Rihanna and Martha Stewart link up at NYC event and more star snaps

Rihanna and Martha Stewart spotted together at NYC event: Check out more photos of celebrities

Rihanna and Martha Stewart spotted together at an event in New York…
Biden lights 30-foot White House Christmas tree... and everyone is saying the same thing

Biden illuminates 30-foot White House Christmas tree… and everyone agrees on one thing

President Biden had a hair-raising experience as the White House’s annual Christmas tree…
Donald Trump breaks his silence on Pete Hegseth's fight to be his defense secretary

Donald Trump speaks about Pete Hegseth’s efforts to become his defense secretary

Donald Trump has thrown his full support behind his defense secretary nominee…
‘Scrubs’ Reboot: Everything We Know, From Who Will Star To Which Original Creator Is Returning

“All You Need to Know About the ‘Scrubs’ Reboot: Cast, Returning Creator, and More”

Good news, Scrubs fans: The medical sitcom is finally getting a reboot…
Art Basel Miami Beach 2024: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ice Spice, Alix Earle and more

Celebrity Lineup at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024

Art Week is currently happening in Miami Beach, Florida with a plethora…
Target's Christmas ad has viewers in meltdown over 'hot Santa'

Target’s holiday commercial sparks controversy with ‘attractive Santa’ causing uproar among viewers

Target is heating up the holiday season with their newest team member…
Meghan McCain Claims ‘The View’ Is Full Of “Fighting” And “Drama” As She Spills “Behind-The-Scenes Gossip” About The Show

Meghan McCain Reveals Behind-The-Scenes Drama and Tension on ‘The View’

Meghan McCain has once again expressed her opinions about her former workplace…
The Left's Ghoulish Death Cult Is Celebrating Murder of Health Care CEO, Calling for More Assassinations

Leftist followers are morbidly celebrating the killing of a healthcare CEO and demanding more acts of violence.

1 Long before Elon Musk came along and bought Twitter, turning it…
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…
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…
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…
New Shows & Movies To Watch This Weekend: ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ on Apple TV+ and More

Top Picks for Weekend Viewing: ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ on Apple TV+ and Other New Releases

This weekend brings some well-known faces to streaming platforms, with Scarlett Johansson…