A jury found Virginia man Naresh Bhatt guilty of first-degree murder Tuesday, rejecting his claim on the stand that his wife died by suicide.
In shocking testimony last week, Bhatt said he found her unconscious and when he couldn’t revive her, he panicked and dismembered and disposed of her body. He denied killing his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, whose body has never been found.
Jurors also convicted Naresh Bhatt of two other charges, concealing and defiling his wife’s body, bringing an end to a case that began with her sudden disappearance more than two years ago.
Bhatt could be sentenced to up to life in prison for the first-degree murder charge, as well as an additional five years for each body manipulation charge. While the verdict was being read, Bhatt was expressionless and briefly talked to his attorney.
Kafle Bhatt’s family was seen hugging after the verdict, with one family member thanking a prosecutor.
Bhatt is expected to be sentenced March 12 and the judge revoked his bond.
CNN has reached out to Bhatt’s attorney and the prosecutor’s office for comment.
Kafle Bhatt was last seen July 27, 2024, at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center in Manassas, Virginia, according to police. She worked there as a registered nurse, the center previously told CNN.
The next day, a friend spoke with Kafle Bhatt on the phone, and she posted a video of herself and her infant daughter on TikTok, according to WJLA.
When Kafle Bhatt disappeared, Naresh denied knowing where she was, telling police and media in interviews he last saw her at their dinner table several days before he reported her missing.
Her family found the devoted mother’s sudden disappearance to be deeply troubling as their daughter’s first birthday was just weeks away. It prompted an expansive search.
Jurors listened to six weeks of testimony, including from Kafle Bhatt’s mother, Gita, and her brother Mahesh, who testified through an interpreter, according to WUSA.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
