Manassas, Va. – The murder trial of Naresh Bhatt resumed Thursday, following the introduction of digital forensic evidence that prosecutors say points to pre‑meditation in the disappearance of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, in August 2024.
Search history presented to jurors
Detectives from the Prince William County Police Digital Forensics Unit, led by Katherine Zaimis, displayed Bhatt’s recovered Google search history from March 2024. The logs showed a series of unsettling queries, including “what happens if a spouse disappears” and “can I divorce if wife lost.”
Investigators also highlighted searches for “meat cutters,” “knife sharpeners,” “hand saws,” and “melatonin dosing,” as well as travel routes from Delhi to Dulles Airport and vehicle listings at CarMax. The combination of these searches, officials argue, suggests Bhatt was gathering information that could facilitate the concealment of a body.
Charges and background
Bhatt faces three felony counts: first‑degree murder, concealing a dead body, and defiling a dead body. He was arrested in August 2024 after bloodstains were discovered in the couple’s home and a power saw containing hair fragments was recovered. Police also traced Bhatt’s visits to multiple trash‑disposal facilities, indicating an effort to discard evidence.
The case began when Mamta Kafle Bhatt missed two scheduled shifts at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center on Aug. 1, 2024. Co‑workers requested a welfare check on Aug. 2. Bhatt told officers he last saw his wife on July 29 and did not consider her missing, while family members insisted she would not abandon her infant daughter.
Bhatt filed a missing‑persons report on Aug. 5, 2024. Initially, investigators found no sign of foul play, but later that day re‑classified the disappearance as involuntary. The body has never been recovered.
Legal proceedings
The trial, now in its second week, has focused heavily on the digital evidence. Prosecutors argue that the searches demonstrate a calculated plan to hide a crime, while the defense maintains that the queries are unrelated and that no direct link to a homicide has been proven.
Judge Michael D. McGowan has allowed the digital evidence to be admitted, noting that the search history is relevant to establishing motive and intent. The defense has requested a limiting instruction to the jury, arguing that the searches alone do not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Community response
Local residents expressed shock and concern as details of the case emerged. “It’s unsettling to think someone could be planning something like this in our neighborhood,” said longtime Manassas resident Linda Harris. Community leaders have called for continued vigilance and support for the Bhatt family’s infant daughter.
The trial is expected to continue next week, with both sides preparing additional testimony and evidence. The outcome will determine whether Bhatt is convicted of the serious charges stemming from his wife’s disappearance.
Original reporting: Arlington County | FOX 5 DC — read the source article.
