Prince William County, Va. – The murder trial of Naresh Bhatt entered its eleventh day on Monday, with prosecutors focusing on a Ryobi circular saw that the defendant allegedly gave to a landscaper shortly after his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, vanished in 2024.
Prosecutors’ case
According to the prosecution, the saw contains reddish‑brown stains and what appeared to be hair‑like strands inside the housing. Former county crime‑scene investigator Andrea Feldman testified that she observed the stains and initially thought they resembled blood. While she did not conduct a presumptive blood test herself, she noted that the stains could be blood and that the hair‑like material would require laboratory analysis to identify.
Prosecutors also called a corporate security investigator from Home Depot, who explained how transaction records and surveillance footage are stored and retrieved. The investigator confirmed that Naresh Bhatt purchased gloves at a Home Depot store shortly before his wife’s disappearance, linking the defendant to the alleged crime scene.
Defense challenges
Defense attorneys spent much of the day questioning the reliability of the forensic evidence. During cross‑examination, Prince William County crime‑scene investigator Alexander Cordner acknowledged the limitations of Bluestar, the chemical used to indicate possible blood presence.
Attorney Tracey Lenox also attacked the credibility of surveillance video timestamps, pointing out that some footage reviewed by investigators was off by an hour. “You have no idea how far it was off on July 31,” Lenox said, to which the prosecutor responded, “Nope.”
Lenox further highlighted several negative test results and pressed Feldman to admit she had not personally performed a presumptive blood test on the saw’s stains. Feldman also confirmed that the hair‑like strands had not been tested and would need further laboratory analysis.
Additional testimony
Sgt. Stephen Oxendine of the Manassas Park Police Department testified that he contacted immigration officials during the investigation and noted that Mamta Kafle Bhatt never appeared for a final interview, a detail he described as significant.
The defense maintains that the case rests on circumstantial evidence, emphasizing the absence of a body and arguing that the prosecution has not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Naresh Bhatt killed his wife.
Trial context
The trial continues to draw attention in Prince William County as the community watches the legal process unfold. Both sides are expected to present additional forensic and testimonial evidence in the coming days, with the jury tasked with determining whether the prosecution’s narrative of murder, dismemberment, and disposal of remains is credible.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
