In a shocking courtroom moment, a Virginia man told jurors he cut up his wife’s body after finding her dead, yet insists she killed herself.
Key points
- Bhatt admits to dismembering his wife’s body but maintains she died by suicide.
- Prosecution relies on blood evidence, DNA on a saw, and surveillance footage to link Bhatt to the disposal of the remains.
- The victim’s body has not been found, and the trial is still in its evidentiary phase.
During Thursday’s hearing in Prince William County Circuit Court, Naresh Bhatt told jurors he discovered his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, unresponsive on their bedroom floor in July 2024 and, believing she had taken her own life, proceeded to hide her remains.
Bhatt recounted attempting mouth‑to‑mouth resuscitation and chest compressions for up to an hour, but he never called 911, saying panic overtook him. He later admitted to both concealment of a dead body and physical defilement of a dead body, but denied ever causing his wife’s death.
Defendant’s courtroom confession
According to his testimony, after failing to revive her he searched online and visited a Home Depot for tools, ultimately using a Ryobi saw and knives to cut the body into pieces small enough to fit a trash can. He placed the remains in bags, set the can out for curbside pickup, and used his Tesla to transport the trash to local dumpsters.
Prosecutors have presented forensic evidence that includes blood stains inside the couple’s home, a saw believed to contain the victim’s DNA, and surveillance video showing Bhatt making trips to dumpsters around the time of the disappearance. Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s remains have never been recovered.
Prosecution’s forensic evidence
Bhatt’s defense attorney highlighted his client’s fear of being blamed for a possible suicide, noting that Bhatt contemplated ending his own life before deciding on the dismemberment. Prosecutors have not yet cross‑examined Bhatt on these statements, and the trial remains ongoing.
The case underscores the gravity of the charges—murder, concealment of a dead body and physical defilement—while the jury awaits further evidence and testimony.
Reader questions
What charges is Naresh Bhatt facing?
He is charged with murder, concealment of a dead body, and physical defilement of a dead body.
What did Bhatt claim happened to his wife?
He testified that his wife consumed pesticides and died by suicide before he hid her remains.
How did Bhatt attempt to dispose of the body?
He said he used a saw and knives to cut the body into pieces that could fit a trash can, placed the remains in bags, and set the can out for curbside pickup, using his Tesla to transport the trash.
Source: wtop.com
