FBI Expert Links Naresh Bhatt's Vehicle to Wife's Location in Murder Trial
Cellphone records and Tesla tracking data show the couple were generally together, except for one instance when the husband drove to Chantilly while the wife's phone stayed stationary.
By Leila Santos ·
An FBI forensic expert testified in Manassas, Virginia, that digital records generally placed Naresh Bhatt and his late wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, in the same area. The expert reviewed cellphone data for both individuals alongside location logs from Bhatt's blue Tesla. The testimony identified three instances where the digital footprints diverged. In the most distinct exception, Mamta Kafle Bhatt's phone remained stationary while Bhatt's vehicle traveled to Chantilly.
The proceedings continued the trial of Bhatt, who is accused of killing and dismembering his wife. He faces charges of first-degree murder, concealing a dead body, and defiling a dead body. Bhatt has remained in custody since his arrest in August 2024. On Tuesday, neighbors from three different households testified that Bhatt did not inform them that his wife was missing.
The case began on August 1, 2024, when Mamta Kafle Bhatt failed to report for work at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center. Co-workers requested a welfare check at the couple's home on Heather Court after she missed two consecutive shifts. Bhatt initially told officers he did not believe his wife was missing. He claimed he last saw her on July 29, although relatives and friends stated she would not have abandoned her infant daughter.
Bhatt filed a formal missing persons report on August 5, 2024. Investigators initially found no evidence of foul play because Bhatt told officers his wife had threatened to leave and suggested divorce. Later that day, authorities reclassified her disappearance as involuntary. Police arrested Bhatt on August 22, 2024, after finding extensive bloodstains in the home's primary bedroom and bathroom.
Court records indicate that investigators recovered a power saw containing hair fragments from the residence. Evidence also showed that Bhatt visited multiple trash disposal facilities. Mamta Kafle Bhatt's body has not been recovered. The trial will continue with further testimony scheduled for the coming days.
Source: FOX 5 DC
