In a shocking court verdict, Naresh Bhatt, a Nepalese-American man, was found guilty of first-degree murder for the dismemberment of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt. The gruesome crime took place over two years ago, on July 29, 2024, as per court testimonies. Bhatt admitted to using a saw to cut up his wife's body and disposing of it, which was revealed during the trial last week. Despite Bhatt's claims that he only dismembered her in a state of panic after finding her unconscious and unable to revive her, the jury rejected this assertion, ruling that she had been murdered. Notably, Mamta Kafle Bhatt's body has yet to be found.
In addition to the murder charge, Bhatt was also convicted on two additional charges: concealing and defiling his wife's body. Following the verdict, Judge XYZ revoked Bhatt's bond, with sentencing scheduled for March 12. He faces a possible life sentence, as well as an additional five years for each charge related to body manipulation.
During the trial, several testimonies were heard over a month's time, including those from Mamta Kafle's mother Gita, brother Mahesh (through an interpreter), close friend and colleague Sunita Basnet, among others. Bhatt was seen expressionless as the verdict was read out, briefly conferring with his lawyer. Members of Mamta Kafle's family were seen embracing, one thanking the prosecutor for their efforts.
On the fateful night in question, Bhatt testified that he went to bed around 8 pm with their infant daughter while his wife did not join them upstairs. Around 4 am, upon waking up to use the toilet, Bhatt claimed to have found Mamta Kafle lying on her back at the foot of the bed. She was surrounded by vomit containing ingested pills, blood, and an open packet of Celphos, a highly toxic insecticide. Bhatt allegedly attempted to resuscitate her for nearly an hour before realizing she had died. He then moved her body to the bathroom, where he claimed to have panicked and become fearful. When asked why he didn't dial 911, Bhatt reportedly responded that he was too scared to do so.
Mamta Kafle worked as a registered nurse at a medical center in Manassas, Virginia, and was only 28 years old at the time of her disappearance. After the night in question, Bhatt denied knowing her whereabouts, telling police and media that he last saw her at their dinner table before reporting her missing. Her family found this strange, especially given that Mamta and Naresh's daughter's first birthday was only weeks away. This led to a widespread search and eventually the arrest of Naresh Bhatt.