Virginia Man Found Guilty of Wife’s Murder After Admitting to Dismembering Her Body

A Virginia man has been convicted of first-degree murder after admitting in court that he dismembered his wife’s body and disposed of her remains, although he continued to deny killing her.

Naresh Bhatt, 39, was found guilty on Tuesday, November 10, following a nearly six-week trial over the disappearance and suspected killing of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a 28-year-old registered nurse whose body has never been recovered.

The jury also convicted Bhatt of concealing and defiling his wife’s body, rejecting his testimony that she had died by suicide and that he only dismembered her remains after discovering her unconscious at their home.

The case dates back to July 2024, when Mamta disappeared from the couple’s home in Manassas Park, Virginia, shortly before their daughter’s first birthday.

She was last seen on July 27, 2024, at the medical centre where she worked. Her disappearance triggered an extensive search involving police, family members, friends and members of the local Nepali community.

Bhatt initially maintained that he did not know what had happened to his wife, telling investigators and the media that he had last seen her several days before reporting her missing.

However, during his testimony last week, he gave a different account of the events surrounding her disappearance.

Bhatt told the court that he went to bed with the couple’s infant daughter on the night of July 29, 2024, and woke up around 4 a.m. after noticing an unusual smell.

He claimed he found Mamta lying unconscious near their bedroom, surrounded by vomit containing pills and blood, with an open packet of Celphos, a highly toxic insecticide, nearby.

He testified that he attempted to revive her for approximately an hour but eventually realised she was dead.

Rather than immediately contacting emergency services, Bhatt said he panicked and began thinking about how to dispose of her body.

He admitted using a saw to dismember her remains before placing them in multiple rubbish bags and disposing of them at a trash compactor at a former apartment complex in Falls Church, Virginia.

He also acknowledged taking the couple’s then-11-month-old daughter on some of the trips to dispose of the remains.

Despite admitting to the dismemberment and concealment, Bhatt insisted that he had not caused his wife’s death.

Prosecutors, however, argued that his account was fabricated and that he had murdered Mamta before attempting to destroy evidence of the crime.

During closing arguments, Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Sarah Sami urged jurors to reject Bhatt’s explanation, arguing that the evidence established his responsibility for his wife’s death.

The jury ultimately sided with the prosecution after hearing testimony from family members, friends, investigators and other witnesses over nearly six weeks.

Following the verdict, Mamta’s family members and supporters embraced outside the courthouse, with friends describing the decision as an important step towards justice after more than two years of uncertainty.

Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth said the verdict represented an important measure of justice for Mamta and her family, who had endured prolonged pain and uncertainty since her disappearance.

Bhatt’s bond was revoked following the conviction. He faces a possible life sentence for first-degree murder, with additional prison time for the body-related offences. He is expected to be sentenced on March 12, 2027.

Although the conviction has brought a major development in the case, Mamta’s remains have not been found, leaving her family without the opportunity to give her a proper burial.

The case has also renewed concerns about domestic violence and the challenges families face when victims disappear under suspicious circumstances.