Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s husband accused of murdering her, dragging body from home: court documents

MANASSAS, Va. - Criminal complaint documents obtained by FOX 5 reveal gruesome details, accusing Naresh Bhatt of murdering his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a missing Virginia mother presumed dead, and dragging her body from their Manassas Park home.

FOX 5’s Stephanie Ramirez was in court Friday when 37-year-old Naresh made his initial appearance, in-person, with a court-appointed translator to face a single charge in connection with his wife's disappearance. Prosecutors are accusing him of murdering 28-year-old Mamta, who has been missing for several weeks. But because her body has not been located, he is currently facing a class 6 felony charge in connection with concealing a dead body. The judge denied Naresh’s release on Friday, and he remains held.  He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 24.

Disturbing details suggest Mamta Kafle Bhatt was killed then dragged from home

Ramirez says court documents revealed that investigators executed a search warrant at Bhatt’s home this week, where they spent a significant amount of time. The documents say the digital and forensic evidence gathered during the investigation indicates that Mamta’s body was inside the residence and likely dragged out. The documents also suggest the murder occurred on or around July 30.

Using BlueStar Technology, investigators discovered what they believe to be pools of blood and blood spatter. The documents say that upon entering the master bedroom of the home, they found the bed had been moved forward, obstructing access to a closet. After moving the bed, detectives observed a light pink stain on the carpet, suspected to be blood, and noticed what appeared to be blood leading to the main bedroom’s bathroom.

Further examination with BlueStar Technology illuminated the entire bathroom floor. Investigators removed the bathtub and visually confirmed what they believed to be blood stuck in the caulking.

READ MORE: Husband of missing Virginia woman charged with concealing a dead body

Prosecutors say Naresh Bhatt made inconsistent statements 

Ramirez said prosecutors are accusing Naresh of making a number of inconsistent statements regarding the whereabouts of his wife when he was questioned. 

Prosecutors disclosed that Mamta, married to Naresh for just over three years, has an 11-month-old daughter. She works as a pediatric nurse at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center, typically two days a week. On August 1 and 2, she failed to show up or call in to work, prompting the hospital to request a welfare check by police. At that time, Naresh declined to report his wife missing, claiming she was visiting family in Texas or New York. However, the prosecutor noted that Mamta had no family in those states, as they all reside in Nepal.

On August 6th, investigators say Naresh Bhatt contacted the police to report his wife missing, stating she had been visiting family and was last seen in the early hours of July 31st. He later changed his story, saying he last saw her in the early hours of August 1st.

READ MORE: Mamta Bhatt’s former colleague in ‘a state of shock’ after disturbing details revealed

Mamta’s phone continued to receive data until July 29th, after which all calls went to voicemail. By August 1st, investigators say the phone had completely died. The last known location of her phone was in Loudoun County, Virginia. Naresh claimed he was at a cafe in Loudoun County and provided proof, which coincided with the last area where Mamta’s phone pinged a cell tower.

Prosecutors say that on July 30th, Naresh visited a Walmart in Chantilly to purchase a pack of three knives, but only one was found during the search of his home. Walmart surveillance footage also allegedly showed Naresh buying various cleaning supplies on July 31st. 

During the execution of the search warrant, investigators said they found the home in disarray. Prosecutors revealed that two days prior, Naresh sold his Tesla. They also noted that the house appeared packed, with a suitcase and passports for both Bhatt and his daughter visible. Additionally, police spoke with two individuals who claimed he had discussed selling his home.

Authorities confirm that the couple's daughter, Neema, is safe and is currently in the care of someone approved by the Department of Social Services.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s former colleague in ‘a state of shock’ after disturbing details revealed

Mamta’s former colleague spoke to the media on Friday, revealing she was shocked after disturbing details regarding the investigation into the disappearance were revealed.

"The details that came out were way more horrifying than I would have expected," Wirth said. "It sounds whatever happened in that house reached a high level of brutality, and that makes me sad to think that Mamta just suffered greatly in her last, what appears to be her last moments."

Wirth said that Mamta’s mother has been granted an emergency visa and efforts are being made to bring her to the U.S. as soon as possible.

"I think we all would agree, Mamta is one of the sweetest people. She has a very kind and gentle spirit, always positive energy," Wirth said. "Anyone who's met her will tell you she is generally a sweet and kind, loving, dedicated mother, and, unfortunately, a dedicated wife."

Bina Khadkalama does not know the Bhatt family person but has been involved in the community-led searches. Khadkalama said it was the right thing to do.

"It was not about the Nepalese community. It was not about the minority, girls only. Domestic violence can happen in any household, to anyone," she told FOX 5 Friday. "Abuse, neglect, all kinds of things. It’s happening somewhere out there in many houses right now. So, in this case, I really know that the community’s voice made a difference in the search and investigation and everything. So, it tells us that unity is so strong."

A public defender representing Bhatt in court Friday made the argument that the suspect has no prior history of crime, arguing prosecutors did not outline evidence strong enough for a Class 6 felony.

A bond hearing is scheduled for Monday morning.

READ MORE: Community holds vigil as husband arrested in disappearance of Manassas Park woman