Naresh Bhatt denied bond; woman and aunt survive DC shooting; man sentenced for hitting, killing cyclist

FOX 5 is keeping an eye on crime in your community. Here's a look at some of the most notable stories from across the DMV this week.

Search for Mamta Kafle Bhatt: Judge denies husband's bond again

For the second time, bond has been denied for a Virginia man accused in his wife’s disappearance. Naresh Bhatt, 37, is facing a charge of concealing a dead body. Bhatt’s wife Mamta Kafle Bhatt has been missing since late July and investigators believe he murdered her, though a body has not been found yet.

During Friday's two-and-a-half-hour hearing, it was revealed that Bhatt was allegedly spotted in Loudoun County with garbage bags, sometimes using towels or napkins to dispose of the bags. Prosecutors allege he also disposed of a bathroom mat in a clothing donation bin, which would be tested for blood.

DC woman survives shooting in Columbia Heights; aunt recovering

A woman is speaking out exclusively with FOX 5 after surviving a shooting that took place in Northwest, D.C. late last month. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday, July 25, left the woman's aunt critically injured.

According to D.C. police, a man opened fire on the SUV, shattering the front windshield and the rear passenger-side window. The woman was hit by flying glass, and her aunt was shot in the back of the head. Miraculously, the bullet exited through her mouth, and she is currently recovering from her injuries.

'Should have got life’: Family criticizes 8-year sentence for driver in fatal bike crash

A man who ran over and killed a bicyclist in Washington, D.C., was sentenced to eight years in prison, a punishment the victim’s family is calling a "slap on the wrist." Eric Beasley, 33, was sentenced Friday for involuntary manslaughter in the death of 45-year-old David Farewell. The incident on Sept. 4, 2020, was captured on security camera footage. Beasley had originally been charged with murder, but he accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to the lesser charge.

"It's not enough. The way I see it, a life for a life. I believe that he should be in prison for a long time," Lateisha Stuckey, Farewell’s daughter, told FOX 5 outside the courtroom.

"He should have got life, without the possibility of parole. What did he do to anybody? He should have gotten life," added Tonya Kie, the victim's sister. 

Shooting in Applebee's parking lot leaves 1 dead in Maryland

Prince George's County police are investigating a shooting in an Applebee's parking lot that left one person dead.

According to police, there is a homicide investigation underway in the parking of Applebee's on the 1000 block of Largo Center Drive in Largo. Police say the shooting took place shortly after 1 p.m. Friday afternoon.

Parents ask for answers after student was arrested with a loaded gun near Maryland high school

Northwest High School leaders were asked to provide answers to parents and the community after a student was arrested with a loaded gun in Montgomery County this week. Parents and teachers have expressed their concerns about the initial incident and how things were handled.

The suspect, 16-year-old Jaiden Ochieng from Clarksburg, a student at Northwest High School, was arrested on September 6. Parents, staff, and students were not informed of the arrest until five days later, following a FOX 5 report.