Naresh Bhatt charged with murder of wife Mamta Kafle, missing since July: police
Memorial for Mamta Kafle grows after husband charged in her murder
A memorial for Mamta Kafle is growing in Manassas Park tonight, set up just hours after her husband Naresh Bhatt, was charged with her murder. Nana Sentuo-Bonsu is live with the latest on the case that FOX 5 has been following since the young mother went missing in July.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. - Naresh Bhatt, the Manassas Park man who police believe killed his wife Mamta Kafle Bhatt, has officially been charged with murder, court records show.
He had previously been charged with concealing a dead body in connection with his wife's disappearance but police had not found any remains at the time of his arrest in August.
The charges now filed against Naresh Bhatt include murder, physically defiling a dead body and the concealment of the body.
Mamta Kafle Bhatt has been missing since late July and early on, investigators indicated that they believed she had been murdered on or around July 30. Authorities say she likely died in a bloody struggle at their home.
Photo evidence released in Naresh Bhatt's court documents in August showed what appeared to be blood stains from the bedroom and bathroom in their Manassas Park home. The search of the couple’s home lasted roughly three hours.
Investigators also obtained surveillance footage showing Bhatt purchasing cleaning products on July 31.
New photo evidence released in Mamta Kafle Bhatt's disappearance
Naresh Bhatt was first arrested in August but because Mamta's body had not been located, he was facing a class six felony charge. He was denied bond in late August and initially waived his right to both a grand jury trial and a preliminary hearing, signaling his intent to move the case forward quickly.
His defense team also requested a speedy trial, while prosecutors continued to gather evidence, including phone records and tracking data from a car Naresh sold days before he was arrested.
What we know about Naresh Bhatt
Naresh Bhatt is a 37-year-old Nepali-American. He was an automated logistics specialist (92A) in the Army Reserve from June 2017 to February 2024. He had no deployments and Army Public Affairs said he left the Army with the rank of specialist.
Bhatt was hired as a police recruit and was dismissed from the department after 22 days at the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy. He began his employment with the department on June 22, 2020.
He was onboarded ahead of academy commencement. On Oct. 26, 2020, Bhatt transitioned to a police recruit but was unsuccessful in fulfilling the requirements of his role and was subsequently dismissed from the Department on Nov. 16, 2020, the Fairfax County Police Department tells FOX 5.
He was not present at several of the searches for Mamta organized by friends and community members, despite the immense effort put forward to find her.
The search for Mamta Kafle
Manassas Park Police officers and Prince William County officers spent weeks combing through several areas in Manassas Park, focusing on areas such as the Blooms Crossing Community, Manassas Christian School, Camp Carondelet, and parts of Blooms Park.
Dozens of community members also joined in the searches and urged police not to give up. Many of Mamta's friends and others in the community also organized vigils and additional searches separate from police efforts, hoping to find her.
Holly Wirth, a nurse and Mamta’s former colleague at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center, said Mamta’s mother and brother came to the U.S. amid the search and that family members were caring for the couple's 1-year-old daughter, Neema, after Naresh Bhatt was arrested.
Wirth and others attended the court proceedings for Naresh Bhatt since they began, calling him a "master manipulator."
The Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney says they expect the cases for Naresh Bhatt's new charges to be called at 10 a.m. Tuesday and set for trial.
Police held a press conference at 7 p.m. Monday to provide an update on the case. At this time, they say the exact details of the murder are not clear. But Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo was clear about one thing: "I just know that whatever happened in that house, it was murder."
"This all points to one person, which is Naresh," Lugo said.
The chief also said that according to the evidence, he believes Mamta's body was "cut up."
Police are continuing to investigate Mamta's disappearance but those in attendance at the Monday evening press conference say this is the justice they were waiting for.
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Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the fact that Bhatt is a Nepali-American, not an Indian-American.
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MORE ON THE SEARCH FOR MAMTA KAFLE:
- Search for Mamta Kafle Bhatt: Body camera footage reveals interaction during welfare check
- Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s husband denied bond as investigation into disappearance continues
- Husband of missing Virginia woman charged with concealing a dead body
- WATCH: Husband of missing Manassas Park woman led out of home in handcuffs
- Manassas Park missing woman: Police cordon off area around house Thursday amid investigation