'Whatever happened in that house, it was murder': Husband charged in case of missing Virginia woman
A Virginia man arrested on suspicion of "concealment of dead body" weeks after his wife vanished in late July is now charged with murder, police announced Monday.
Naresh Bhatt was indicted Monday morning by a grand jury in Prince William County on two new charges − first-degree murder and physically defiling a dead body − after his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, disappeared this summer, Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo announced Monday.
The 28-year-old victim, a nurse and mother, was last seen July 31 in Manassas Park, officials say. The city is part of the Washington D.C. metro area, located roughly 30 miles west of the nation's capital.
Nearly 14 weeks earlier, on Aug. 22, Manassas Park police arrested Bhatt on a felony charge of concealment of a dead body in connection to his wife's disappearance.
On Monday, during a press conference, Lugo confirmed the missing woman's body has not been found, but officials believe she was killed sometime between July 29th and July 30th.
Chief: Evidence shows Mamfa Kafle Bhatt was killed in home
Lugo said charges were filed after blood found in the bedroom and bathroom of the couple's home matched the missing mother and wife's DNA. Forensic evidence, the chief told reporters, shows she was killed in the bedroom of their home, dragged into the bathroom and dismembered.
"I think we have a strong case for not having a body," Lugo said Monday. "All evidence points to one person which is Naresh. I just know whatever happened in that house, it was murder."
"We never gave up," the chief said Monday.
When asked by a reporter if detectives had spoken with Bhatt, Lugo replied "no."
A motive in the assumed killing remained under investigation Tuesday, but Lugo said police had not previously responded to reports of domestic violence at the newlywed couple's home.
Naresh Bhatt reported wife missing on Aug. 5
Police reported Kafle Bhatt, who shares a 1-year-old daughter with her husband, has not had any contact with family or friends since she vanished.
Officers responded to the couple's home on Aug. 2 after colleagues at Inova Fairfax Hospital raised concerns, Lugo previously said. Her husband reported her missing Aug. 5.
'I need to find her': Husband of missing woman tells reporters
The victim's friend, Nadia Navarro, who created an online fundraiser to find her, previously said it was not like her to leave her then 11-month-old daughter.
"It's like very tough," her husband, told WUSA-TV in an August interview adding the couple has been married for three years. "We ate on the evening of (July 31)."
According to the outlet, Bhatt claimed he and his wife did not have any ongoing arguments.
Naresh Bhatt jailed without bond Tuesday, awaiting court date
A spokesperson at the Prince William County Adult Detention Center told Paste BN Bhatt remained jailed without bond Tuesday with a court date not yet set in his case.
It was not immediately known if Bhatt had obtained an attorney.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Manassas police at 703-361-1136 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Solvers at 703-330-0330.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.