The husband of a missing Manassas Park, Virginia, woman has been indicted on a charge of murder and physically defiling a dead body.
Naresh Bhatt was charged in August with concealing the body of Mamta Kafle Bhatt — who was last seen in July and whose body still hasn’t been found.
The next day, July 30, prosecutors said Naresh Bhatt dropped the couple’s daughter off at a babysitter’s apartment early in the morning.
Holly Wirth, a former hospital co-worker of Kafle Bhatt and spokesperson for her family, said the family feels “a sense of relief” that a charge has finally come.
We’re not here happy.” Naresh Bhatt is expected to be in Prince William Circuit Court at 10 a.m. Tuesday to be formally charged.
A missing woman’s husband from Manassas Park, Virginia, has been charged with murder and bodily defilement of a deceased person.
In August, Naresh Bhatt was accused of hiding the body of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, whose remains have not yet been located and who was last seen in July.
Mario Lugo, the chief of police in Manassas Park, stated at a press conference on Monday night that they were able to match Mamta’s blood to blood recovered from the crime scene, which was one of the reasons for the revised charges.
According to Lugo, “there is a lot of evidence” against Naresh.
“I am aware that the crime scene was a large one. It was one of the worst crime scenes the Prince William County forensic unit had ever seen, he said.
The chief also expressed regret that Mamta’s family was able to learn more about the charges because “the courts posted it before I had an opportunity to talk to them.”. “”.
Naresh Bhatt has not yet been contacted by police, according to Lugo, but all of the evidence has been forwarded to prosecutors, who “felt confident” enough to present it to the grand jury on Monday and obtain the indictment.
Although Lugo acknowledged that authorities are still hoping to locate Mamta’s remains, he stated, “I feel we have a strong case for not having a body.”.
Lugo hinted at the possibility that Mamta was mutilated within the house.
Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s last video call with her mother was on July 29, the day police believe she was killed, according to a detailed timeline provided by Prince William County prosecutors.
Prosecutors claimed that early on July 30, Naresh Bhatt dropped the couple’s daughter off at a babysitter’s apartment. A short while later, he was captured on camera throwing a number of trash and plastic bags into a dumpster at the babysitter’s apartment building.
He purchased a set of knives at Home Depot and Walmart later that morning. He purchased a “40-pack of extra strong black trash bags” that night, according to Sarah Sami, a senior assistant commonwealth’s attorney.
1:30 a.m. on July 31. m. Naresh Bhatt was also seen on camera taking bags out of his Tesla and loading them into a garbage compactor in Falls Church. Although he wasn’t carrying his phone at the time, his Tesla tracked him to that spot.
Prosecutors claim that the Bhatt residence used more than 150 gallons of water later that morning, which is significantly more than the usual three or four gallons.
According to Holly Wirth, a family spokesperson and former hospital coworker of Kafle Bhatt, the family is “relieved” that a charge has finally been brought against her.
Justice for Mamta and securing a future for her child have been their two main objectives. And that’s what directs their actions each day,” Wirth stated during the press conference on Monday. “This is not a party.”. We aren’t contented here. “”.
At 10 a.m., Naresh Bhatt is anticipated at Prince William Circuit Court. M. To be officially charged on Tuesday.
This plot is taking shape. For updates, check back with WTOP.
Neal Augenstein of WTOP helped write this report.
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