Virginia, USA, November 11, 2026 — A jury in the US state of Virginia has found Naresh Bhatt guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Nepali-origin nurse Mamta Kafle Bhatt, rejecting his claim that she died by suicide.
The 39-year-old Bhatt was also convicted of concealing and defiling his wife's body. The verdict was delivered on Tuesday after a trial that followed Mamta's disappearance in July 2024. Her remains have still not been recovered.
During the trial, Bhatt testified that he found Mamta unconscious on the bedroom floor on July 30, 2024. He claimed that he attempted to revive her for 45 minutes to an hour but failed. He told the court that he panicked and dismembered her body with a saw before disposing of the remains in rubbish bags, fearing he would be blamed for her death.
Bhatt denied killing his wife and maintained that she had taken her own life. However, his testimony differed from his initial account to investigators, when he claimed Mamta had left home and might have travelled to New York or Texas.
Prosecutors argued that Bhatt had killed Mamta on or around July 30, 2024, cut up her body and disposed of the remains in rubbish bags at different locations across Northern Virginia.
To support their case, prosecutors presented forensic findings, surveillance recordings, telephone records and evidence of digital searches.
Attorneys in Naresh Bhatt’s murder case returned to court Thursday as the judge reviewed evidence and witnesses ahead of jury selection beginning October 6.
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Investigators found reddish-brown stains and hair-like material on a power saw that prosecutors said Bhatt had purchased from a Home Depot store in June 2024. DNA analysis found that samples collected from the saw, including swabs taken from inside it, were consistent with Mamta's DNA profile.
Forensic experts also testified about DNA evidence recovered from a stained section of carpet in the couple's bedroom. The findings strongly supported Mamta and the couple's daughter as contributors to a DNA mixture. The defence, however, argued that the evidence did not establish how the blood had come to be on the carpet.
Prosecutors also showed surveillance footage of Bhatt purchasing rubbish bags and cleaning products around the time Mamta disappeared. Telephone and vehicle records were presented to trace his movements, including visits to rubbish compactors.
The jury also heard evidence about difficulties in the couple's marriage. Mamta's brother, Mahesh Kafle, testified that his sister had sent him a photograph showing what appeared to be an injury to her face and had told him she felt unsafe. Friends and other witnesses also described tensions between the couple.
During cross-examination, Bhatt acknowledged that he had lied to Mamta's relatives, friends, neighbours and police about what had happened to her.
Following the verdict, members of Mamta's family embraced in court, while one family member thanked a prosecutor. Bhatt remained expressionless as the decision was read and briefly spoke with his lawyer, according to CNN.
The first-degree murder conviction carries a possible prison sentence of 20 years to life. Bhatt could also receive up to five years for each of the two additional convictions related to concealing and defiling the body.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 12, 2027. The judge revoked his bond following the verdict, meaning he will remain in custody until sentencing.
Amy Ashworth, Commonwealth's Attorney for Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, described the verdict as an important measure of justice for Mamta and her family.
In a statement, Ashworth said the family had endured more than two years of pain and uncertainty. She expressed hope that the decision would help them move forward, knowing that Mamta's life mattered and that her story had been heard.
Mamta, originally from Nepal, worked as a nurse in Virginia. Her disappearance attracted widespread attention among Nepalis in the United States and Nepal after she stopped reporting to work and could no longer be contacted in July 2024.
Bhatt initially told investigators that Mamta had left their home. Police later arrested him after evidence emerged indicating her death and the disposal of her body.
Despite Bhatt's admission that he had dismembered and disposed of her body, investigators have not found Mamta's remains. The guilty verdict has brought a major development in the case, although her family still has no body to recover or bury.