Naresh Bhatt Convicted of Murder and Defiling Mamta Kafle Bhatt's Body

A Northern Virginia man who claimed his wife died by suicide before he panicked and chopped up her body was convicted by a jury on Tuesday after a five-week trial in Prince William County, according to Courthouse News Service.

Naresh Bhatt, 39, of Manassas Park, listened as jurors found him guilty on all counts, including first-degree murder, defiling a body, and concealing a body in connection with the 2024 disappearance of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, was a nurse and the mother of the couple’s now 3-year-old daughter. Her body was never found, leaving prosecutors to build their case on circumstantial evidence.

Naresh Bhatt found guilty in the murder, dismemberment of Mamta Kafle Bhatt — ABC 7 News – WJLA

Taking the witness stand last week, Bhatt offered a version of events that stunned the courtroom. He testified that he discovered his wife had died by suicide and, fearing he would face the blame, decided to dismember her remains and throw them away in the trash.

“And now, the defendant wants you to believe his story, his made-up crazy story,” said Sarah Sami, senior assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Prince William County, during closing arguments. “All the defendant has done that you’ve seen from the moment that Mamta went missing, all he did was lie.”

Naresh Bhatt found guilty of murdering missing wife Mamta Kafle Bhatt — WUSA9

Sami pointed to a text message Bhatt sent to his wife in February 2024 as evidence of premeditation, quoting the message to the jury: “The days are coming that you’ll regret a lot.”

“The defendant murdered Mamta Kafle,” Sami said, referring to the victim by her maiden name. “The defendant dismembered Mamta Kafle. And the defendant got rid of her like garbage.”

Defense attorneys urged the panel of eight women and four men to look past emotion. Tracey Lenox, chief public defender for Prince William County, asked jurors to avoid doing the easy thing by letting their instincts of compassion dictate their decisions, noting that the defense’s role was to act as “inquisitors of doubt.”

Lenox reminded the courtroom that Bhatt maintained he revealed the suicide narrative two weeks after his arrest, differing from his initial statements to police after his wife’s disappearance.

Guilty: Naresh Bhatt convicted of murdering wife Mamta Kafle Bhatt — FOX 5 Washington DC

Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s mother, brother, and a close group of friends sat in the front row of the courtroom, many wearing her favorite color, red. Nurses from area hospitals, neighbors, and fellow expatriates of Nepal also filled the gallery.

The jury reached its verdict after 4 ½ hours of deliberation. Circuit Court Judge Kimberly Irving maintained strict order in the courtroom during the reading, while Mamta Bhatt’s family wept quietly before supporters cheered and embraced outside.