- Naresh Bhatt admitted in court to dismembering his wife’s body with a power saw and disposing of the remains in public dumpsters.
- Bhatt testified that his wife died by suicide from poisoning, claiming he panicked and failed to call emergency services for help.
- Police discovered bloodstains and a saw with hair at the couple's home, though the victim’s body has not yet been recovered.
- The defense argues there is no direct evidence proving Bhatt caused her death, despite his admitted role in concealing the body.
Virginia, USA: A Virginia man accused of murdering his wife took the stand Thursday, admitting to jurors that he cut up her body with an electric saw and threw the pieces into dumpsters. However, he insisted he did not kill her, claiming she died by suicide.
Naresh Bhatt is on trial for first-degree murder, hiding a body, and defiling a corpse following the disappearance of his 28-year-old wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a nurse at a local hospital.
Bhatt told the court he woke up on July 30, 2024, to find his wife lying on their bedroom floor. He claimed there was vomit containing blood, pills, and bug poison near her mouth. After trying CPR without success, he said fear took over.
"I was really scared," Bhatt testified when asked why he never called 911. "I was really, really panicked."
Instead of getting help, Bhatt spent the next day trying to cover up her death:
Blocking the room: He carried her body into the bathroom and pushed a baby-changing table against the bedroom door to keep their infant daughter out.
Buying supplies: He left his daughter with a babysitter and drove to Home Depot to pick up cleanup items.
Cutting the body: He tried fitting her into a trash bin, but when that failed, he used a power saw to sever her legs. He stopped because he felt exhausted.
Dumping the remains: That night, he packed the body into trash bags and threw them into public dumpsters.
The investigation began when Mamta missed several shifts at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center, leading her co-workers to call the police. Bhatt originally reported her missing on August 5, claiming she walked out after a fight about divorce. But her family told police she would never leave her baby behind.
Detectives searched the home weeks later, finding bloodstains in the bedroom and bathroom, along with a power saw with hair stuck in it.
Bhatt’s defense team argues there is no direct proof he caused her death. Police still have not recovered Mamta’s remains.
