VA MAMTA KAFLE BHATT: Missing from Manassas Park, VA - 31 July 2024 - Age 28 *ARREST*

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www.wusa9.com

Manassas Park mom disappears under 'involuntary circumstance' police say

Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, has been missing since July 31.
www.wusa9.com www.wusa9.com

Manassas Park mom disappears under 'involuntary circumstance' police say​

Manassas Park Police say a mother is considered to be missing under "involuntary circumstance" after not being seen since July 31.

Investigators released information about the missing person's case on Aug. 8.

Friends tell us Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, never showed up to her Aug. 1 shift at Inova Fairfax Hospital where she worked as a pediatric nurse. Bhatt's former roommate Nadia Navarro says she does not understand why it took so long for police to notify the community that her close friend was missing.

"I last heard from her personally on July 28th. She called me a couple times, but I was asleep. And I got a call from someone I met at Mamta's baby shower and she asked me if I knew where Mamta was," Navarro told WUSA9 in a Manassas parking lot as she organized a search party for her friend.

Over the weekend Navarro launched a Facebook group dedicated to sharing information about Bhatt's case. The group went from social media to actually conducting searches in Prince William County.

Navarro says she met Bhatt when she first came to the United States and they both bonded over their experience being immigrants. She says Bhatt is originally from Nepal and the two grew so close they considered each other family.

"Mamta is not an impulsive person, she's a very responsible person, she's a very calm person. So to hear, that she might be missing, I really doubt she would run away," Navarro added.

Navarro says she has a very difficult time believing that the first-time mother would leave her 10-month-old daughter.

After being at the Manassas Park Police Department for hours, we found Bhatt's husband, Naresh Bhatt.

"I am suffering through a lot," Bhatt told WUSA9.

Bhatt did not want to go into detail about the case but told WUSA9 that he was calling on the community to help him bring his wife home.



In a statement, Manassas Park Police wrote:

"This case is active and ongoing. What we can share at this time is the following: the investigators have conducted several follow-ups with neighbors, friends, co-workers and the husband. The investigators are also utilizing several investigative tools to help in an attempt to locate Mamta Kafle."
Media - MAMTA KAFLE BHATT: Missing from Manassas Park, VA - 31 July 2024 - Age 28
 
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www.nbcwashington.com

Missing Virginia mom's phone, canceled Uber ride in focus as husband waives hearing

The Manassas Park man jailed in connection to his wife’s disappearance returned to court Thursday, where his defense attorney took an unusual legal step as News4 obtained search warrant documents that reveal new details about the investigation.
www.nbcwashington.com www.nbcwashington.com

Missing Virginia mom's phone, canceled Uber ride in focus as husband waives hearing​

The Manassas Park man jailed in connection to his wife’s disappearance returned to court Thursday, where his defense attorney took an unusual legal step. It came as News4 obtained search warrant documents revealing new details about the last moments his wife was seen by anyone except her husband.


Police filed a search warrant to get a DNA sample from her husband, Naresh Bhatt.

The search warrant made public Thursday provides new details that reveal sharp contradictions in what he said to police and what they learned through their investigation.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt's husband was arrested at the couple’s home last week on a single charge of concealing a body. But in the criminal complaint police accused him of murder.

“Naresh Bhatt murdered his wife Mamta Bhatt,” the document says.

Investigators say they found evidence to show Naresh Bhatt bought knives, allegedly killed his wife and dragged her body out of their home. Prosecutors previously said there was evidence of pooling blood in the primary bedroom and blood splatter in the primary bathroom.

In Naresh Bhatt’s court appearance Thursday, his attorney took the unusual step of waiving the preliminary hearing – a move that could be designed to get the case quickly to trial.

“They want to get him tried on this charge as soon as possible. And I know in my heart there are going to be more charges to come,” Wirth said.


One focus is Mamta Kafle Bhatt's phone.

A detective wrote that on July 29 – the last day friends heard from Mamta Kafle Bhatt – there were numerous calls with her husband. After that, all calls went to voicemail.

Naresh Bhatt told police his wife destroyed her phone before July 31 — the day he told police that he last saw her.

But on Aug. 1, her phone was pinging in the Aldie area of Northern Virginia.

Naresh Bhatt told police he was at a cafe there.

The search warrant shows investigators are also trying to learn more about a ride Mamta Kafle Bhatt received the night of July 27. They write she was sitting outside the hospital where she worked with a friend. She ordered and then canceled an Uber ride.

They wrote: “Cameras … showed Ms. Kafle … entering an unknown black four-door sedan driven by an unknown subject at 10:17pm.”'


The next court date in the case is not yet known.

Naresh Bhatt’s attorney also told the judge he intended to bypass the grand jury proceeding, another step to possibly hasten the case. His defense attorney did not respond to News4's request for comment.
 
wjla.com

Manassas Park Police searching Signal Hill Park for evidence tied to missing Va. mom

Manassas Park Police and Prince William County Police Search and Rescue Team are actively searching a park for evidence related to a search for Mamta Kafle.
wjla.com wjla.com

Manassas Park Police and Prince William County Police Search and Rescue Team are actively searching a park for evidence related to a search for missing Virginia mom Mamta Kafle Bhatt.

Officers can be seen from SkyTrak7 searching Signal Hill Park Friday evening. This came as her friends and supporters were gathered outside of the police station, trying to bring awareness to the case.

Detectives said a tip led them to this area.

 

Search for Mamta Kafle Bhatt continues over the holiday weekend​

Volunteers took time out of their Saturday this Labor Day weekend to continue searching for missing Manassas Park mother Mamta Kafle Bhatt, passing out flyers with her photo.

Saturday’s gathering comes a day after Manassas Park Police and the Prince William County Search and Rescue Team closed Signal Hill Park to look for evidence related to the mother‘s disappearance.

“I would say it’s very slim chances that she’s alive. And justice may look different than what we thought in those first days,” said Wirth. “But bringing her home, whatever that looks like, should still happen.

Flyers were not the only way volunteers got out their message.

Amanda Lockhart-Davis is a neighbor who hosts her own podcast. Recently, much of the podcast has focused on the search for Mamta.

“I wanted to do something,” Lockhart-Davis said.

Volunteers want to bring closure for Mamta’s family, especially her young daughter.

“Her daughter is going to grow up, likely without any parents,” Lockhart-Davis said.
 
www.princewilliamtimes.com

‘We just want to bring Mamta home’: Missing Manassas Park woman’s friends await answers as the search for her body continues

Manassas Park and Prince William County police searched Signal Hill Park for evidence for several hours on Friday, Aug. 30 and came away with items that are being processed to determine if they are related to Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance, according to Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo.
www.princewilliamtimes.com www.princewilliamtimes.com

‘We just want to bring Mamta home’: Missing Manassas Park woman’s friends await answers as the search for her body continues​

Friends and supporters of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, the 28-year-old Manassas Park mother and nurse who has been missing for more than a month and is presumed dead, were still awaiting news from police this week as the search for her body continues.

“We’re anxious as we wait for an update,” said Prabha Bhattarai Deuja, a Nepali community organizer, on Tuesday, Sept. 3. “We know they are all working hard, but whatever it is, we just want to bring Mamta home.”

Manassas Park and Prince William County police searched Signal Hill Park for evidence for several hours on Friday, Aug. 30 and came away with items that are being processed to determine if they are related to Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance, according to Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo.


Naresh Bhatt appeared in court Thursday, Aug. 29 and won the right to waive his preliminary hearing, meaning his case will go to a grand jury on Oct. 7, possibly speeding up his trial. Because of Virginia’s speedy trial law, prosecutors have only five months to bring his case to trial if he is indicted by the grand jury.


Supporters have regularly gathered at the Manassas Park police station to call for justice for Mamta Kafle Bhatt and for her body to be found. They lined Signal View Drive during Friday night’s search, holding signs and chanting: “Bring Mamta home.”

“The search to locate Mamta will not stop until we can reunite her with her family,” said Holly Wirth, a friend and former coworker of Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s. “Mamta deserves to be found, and her family deserves closure.”

“We will continue to keep the pressure on the authorities,” said Jack Tiwari, a leader of the DMV Nepali group.
 

Police identify new locations of interest in search for Mamta Kafle Bhatt​

It’s been over a month since Manassas Park mom and nurse Mamta Kafle Bhatt disappeared, and detectives in Prince William County are expanding their search.

In an update on Sept. 5, the Manassas Park Police Department announced that Prince William County Police Department’s Search and Rescue Team was combing through the following areas for evidence in connection to Bhatt’s disappearance; Blooms Crossing Community, the area surrounding Manassas Christian School, Camp Carondelet and a portion of Blooms Park.

Police said detectives identified these areas as locations of interest through a methodical review of recently obtained records.

On Thursday, several Prince William County police officers and detectives could be seen near the Manassas Park Christian Middle School, near the woods.

As of Thursday afternoon, police said no additional evidence was located.
 
www.insidenova.com

Prince William judge grants Bhatt's motion to waive a grand jury; discussions begin over trial dates

Prince William County Circuit Court Judge Carroll A. Weiner Jr. on Thursday agreed to waive a grand jury on the charge against Naresh Bhatt.
www.insidenova.com www.insidenova.com

Prince William judge grants Bhatt's motion to waive a grand jury; discussions begin over trial dates​

Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s mother and brother were present in court on Thursday after arriving from Nepal. While they did not speak to media, Holly Wirth, a former coworker of Mamta Bhatt, issued a statement to reporters on their behalf outside the Prince William County Judicial Center.

“We are authorized to give a statement on behalf of the family. They were present in court. They want to express [that] one, they absolutely feel the love of the community and appreciate everything the community is doing,” Wirth said.


Tracey Lenox, chief public defender for Prince William County, represented Bhatt at Thursday’s hearing. She temporarily took the baton from absent Senior Assistant Public Defender Shalev Ben-Avraham, who had been present at every hearing in the case since Bhatt’s arraignment two weeks ago on Aug. 23.

Lenox insisted that Ben-Avraham remain the defense attorney of record on the case, and the latter’s scheduling conflicts due to a separate jury trial led Lenox to reconsider proposed trial dates in January and early-February. During the hearing, Lenox told Weimer she needed to “have Ben-Avraham in here himself” and said she was present today “due to the high-profile nature of the case.”

Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew Sweet and Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Sarah Sami once again jointly represented the prosecution. Sweet told Weimer they would “ask to set this out as far as we can” and added that scheduling the trial anytime before the end of the required five-month speedy trial period, as mandated by Virginia statute 19.2-243, “handicaps the prosecution’s case.”

Weimer ultimately relented, saying “We’re not going into December.”

More motions are expected to be heard and a potential trial date set during a hearing in Circuit Court Sept. 16.
 
abcnews.go.com

Husband of missing Virginia woman to head to trial in early 2025

When Mamta Kafle Bhatt disappeared in late July, members of her local community in northern Virginia and her family in her native Nepal banded together to try to figure out what happened to her
abcnews.go.com abcnews.go.com

Husband of missing Virginia woman to head to trial in early 2025​

Bhatt was arrested about three weeks after his wife disappeared and charged with concealing a dead body. A prosecutor later said in court that the amount of blood found in Bhatt's home indicated injuries that were not survivable.

Though his wife's body remains missing, Naresh Bhatt waived his right to grand jury proceedings on Thursday, paving the way for him to head to trial by early 2025. The trial date is expected to be set during Bhatt’s next hearing in Prince William Circuit Court on Sept. 16.

Prince William Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew Sweet described the waiver as a tactical move by Bhatt’s attorneys that limits prosecutors’ time to build their murder case — a process that typically takes longer than six months.

“We have multiple agencies, multiple witnesses who are out of the state — out of the country — that we have to prepare for,” Sweet said in court.

Chief Public Defender Tracey Lenox argued that Bhatt was still entitled to a speedy trial, despite prosecutors’ wish for more time, adding that his defense couldn’t control whether the arrest was premature.

“They chose to charge in this,” Lenox said, adding: “I understand the inconvenience to the Commonwealth, but this is where we are.”

On Thursday, Manassas Park police said they were searching for evidence in the investigation at a nearby school, multiple parks and other community areas.
 
I hate to, absolutely hate it, but can't disagree with the defense here, as speedy trial is an absolute right for a defendant. And they did choose when to charge.

However, I think speedy trial with today's pace and delays is any more a bit archaic to have it at six months... And all parties and court calendars and a lot other cause such delays. Shouldn't be that way though, it all should be much more efficient. On all sides and the court itself.

So I don't like it but can't argue the defense statements in the post above.

But they will likely themselves at some point delay it and drop the speedy trial. However maybe not since the P is going on about not enough time, out of state witnesses, etc. but as the D said, they chose when to start the clock, arrest and charge...

I hate it but I can't help but have to agree that they have a point...
 
wtop.com

Judge orders prosecutor to turn over video of Mamta Kafle Bhatt leaving work; defense claims missing Va. mom is still alive - WTOP News

A judge ordered prosecutors in Prince William County to turn over to the defense a video showing Mamta Kafle Bhatt leaving work at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center several days before her…
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Judge orders prosecutor to turn over video of Mamta Kafle Bhatt leaving work; defense claims missing Va. mom is still alive​

A judge ordered prosecutors in Prince William County, Virginia, to turn over to the defense a video showing Mamta Kafle Bhatt leaving work at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center several days before her husband reported last seeing her.

Naresh Bhatt is charged with concealing her body, although police and prosecutors haven’t said they have located it.

On Friday, Circuit Court Judge Carroll Weimer Jr. ordered prosecutor Matthew Sweet to provide the defense with video from July 27, 2024, that shows Mamta Kafle Bhatt getting into a vehicle at the end of her shift at the hospital.

Naresh Bhatt’s public defender, Shalev Ben-Avraham, had asked prosecutors to turn over the video and other evidence from that particular day, including unredacted police reports, including who owned and was driving the vehicle that picked up Kafle Bhatt at work.

The defense also asked for Mamta’s cellphone data, GPS data from both husband and wife on July 27, as well as body worn camera footage from police “welfare checks” at the Bhatt home on Heather Court in Manassas Park.

Ben-Avraham argued prosecutors are required to “timely disclosure” of evidence favorable to the defense — referred to as ‘Brady material,’ from the 1963 Brady v. Maryland Supreme Court decision — even as prosecutors continue to make a case to charge Naresh Bhatt with his wife’s death.

Prosecutor Sweet argued against the release, saying Naresh Bhatt is charged solely with concealing a body, and the defense was engaged in a “fishing exhibition,” trying to learn what evidence prosecutors have.

“We’re talking about a dead body,” Sweet told the judge. “Any information surrounding her ‘aliveness’ is not Brady.”

Ben-Avraham countered that turning over evidence favorable to the defense — specifically the video of Kafle Bhatt getting into an unidentified car at her workplace — allows him to “create our own leads,” and build a defense case while prosecutors are building theirs.

“Our claim is she’s still alive,” Ben-Avraham told the judge in a courtroom nearly filled with supporters of Mamta Kafle Bhatt. “Maybe that person (driving the car) is involved.”
 
www.wusa9.com

'It's actually quite strong of a case' | Expert on 'No Body' cases weighs in charges against Mamta Kafle Bhatt's husband

Naresh Bhatt, her husband, has been charged with concealing a dead body. His trial date is expected to be set on Monday.
www.wusa9.com www.wusa9.com

'It's actually quite strong of a case' | Expert on 'No Body' cases weighs in charges against Mamta Kafle Bhatt's husband​

Missing Manassas Park Mother Mamta Kafle Bhatt's husband Naresh Bhatt's next hearing is on Monday, and that is when a trial date is expected to be set.

During a hearing on Friday, his defense attorney requested six pieces of evidence from the prosecution. A judge ordered that two pieces of the requested evidence be turned over, surveillance footage from outside the hospital where Mamta Kafle Bhatt worked and police records from the initial interactions Naresh had with police.

The public defender representing Naresh Bhatt argued that Mamta Kafle Bhatt is still alive, and that he wanted his investigators to speak to Mamta's coworker along with whoever picked her up to see if they could shed light on why she might have left.

"It's a very common defense, of course, that the person is alive, which would take away this charge, concealing of a body and certainly a murder charge," said Tad DiBiase.

"The problem with making that argument though is that it then requires the government to put in a lot of proof about what the person was like in life and that evidence tends to be showing so many things about this person. Painting them in a very positive portrayal. Showing all of these connections that for the most part a jury for the most part ends up concluding, yeah someone with this type of life is not someone who just disappears off the face of the earth unless something bad happens," he said.

He explained that as an outsider looking in, just at what's been shared publicly, he believes the prosecution has a strong case.

"Here there was some clear evidence of marital discord between these two people. Then you had blood found in the home. You have evidence that the defendant had purchased three knives and only one was recovered, and then searches that are not particularly helpful like how soon can you get married after your wife dies. So, you have evidence of recent purchase of a weapon. Damning statements entered in to google. Blood in the house. All of those types of things are things you see in these types of cases. While 'no body' cases can often be very difficult to get to trial. When you have that type of evidence early on. To me that's an indication of the government having a strong case," said DiBiase.

He also said the inconsistent statements made by Naresh Bhatt, also raise some red flags.

"I also suspect with the evidence of the cell phone records, location of the cell phones, all of those things are going to make it very clear that any phone calls stopped at a particular time and also show the connection between the suspect's and the victim's cell phones as well," said DiBiase.
 
www.wjla.com

Husband of missing Manassas Park mom Mamta Kafle Bhatt set for December criminal trial

The husband of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a missing mother from Manassas Park who disappeared in late July, returned to court Monday morning.
www.wjla.com www.wjla.com
Husband of missing Manassas Park mom Mamta Kafle Bhatt set for December criminal trial
The husband of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a missing mother from Manassas Park who disappeared in late July,will have his criminal trial before the year ends despite concerns from Commonwealth attorneys.

Already on a seemingly expedited timeline, Naresh Bhatt, 37, is scheduled to appear for a criminal trial on Dec. 9 to 11 and 16 to 18, though these times could change. He was charged with Prohibition Against Concealment of a Dead Body in connection with Mamta’s disappearance.

Another pre-trial date is set for November 20 while Naresh's arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 9.

Prosecutors in the courtroom said the December trial date is "not convenient or fair to the commonwealth," due to the long list of witnesses they need to speak with and pushed for a February 2025 trial. The defense said they weren't available during that time.



“In this case, the defense strategy has been pedal to the metal," said John Fishwick, offering his independent expertise as a former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia who now does criminal defense.

He called the strategy for a speedy trial "risky and unusual."

“Now it'll be time for 'put up or shut up' for each side," he explained. "Does the Commonwealth have enough evidence and does the defense raise the issue of, 'Is there not proof beyond a reasonable doubt?'"

"The battle lines have been drawn," Fishwick added. "Time will tell if this strategy of the defense works.”
 
www.wjla.com

Manassas Park police issue warrant for husband's Google data in Mamta Kafle case

Manassas Park Police served Google a search warrant last month, requesting the location data and browsing history of Naresh Bhatt.
www.wjla.com www.wjla.com
Manassas Park police issue warrant for husband's Google data in Mamta Kafle case
Manassas Park police served Google a search warrant last month, requesting the location data and browsing history of the husband charged in connection to his wife's disappearance.

WJLA obtained a copy of the 20-page document, which also requests, among other things, Naresh Bhatt’s account information, linked social media accounts, Google search history and map search history between July 27 and Aug. 1. The affidavit for the search warrant states Naresh's Google account has "location-specific data pertinent to the discovery of Ms. Kafle's whereabouts."


In court last month, prosecutors pointed to Google searches made on Naresh’s work laptop, saying there was a search in April asking how long it takes to get married after your spouse dies.

John Fishwick, a former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia who now does criminal defense, said the search history will be strong evidence for the prosecution. Fishwick is unaffiliated with this case.

"Incriminating search history can be very devastating evidence for a defendant," Fishwick explained. "What are the nature of those searches? When did he do it? What was the timing of those searches? Where was he when he made those searches?"

“A defendant will say, 'Well, I didn't do that search,' or 'I didn't have my phone at that time. Somebody else had my phone at that time.' But that's a real challenge to make," said Fishwick.

He said the challenge for the defense will be how much forensic evidence the Commonwealth has.

"If you have to just answer for Google searches, perhaps that's enough to say there's reasonable doubt here," he explained. "But they're going to have precise geolocation, which means where you are on this earth. And they'll have a detailed timeline tracking his location and also, sadly, tracking her last locations."
 
www.nbcwashington.com

Missing mom case defense challenges evidence on her body as husband seeks bond

As Mamta Kafle Bhatt remains missing from Manassas Park, her husband’s defense attorney challenged some grisly evidence, new court documents show.
www.nbcwashington.com www.nbcwashington.com

Missing mom case defense challenges evidence on her body as husband seeks bond​

Nearly two months after the mysterious disappearance of a Northern Virginia mother, her husband will ask on Friday to be released on bond.


New court documents obtained by News4 show Bhatt’s attorney challenged some grisly evidence in the case.

In a bond motion filed this week in Prince William County Circuit Court, Bhatt’s lawyer says a detective made what the lawyer argued was a “false statement” that prosecutors used to obtain an arrest warrant.

In the criminal complaint in the case, a detective initially said investigators found evidence a body was dragged out of the Bhatt family’s home on Heather Court.

The detective later clarified investigators only found a body was dragged from one room to another inside the house.

In court records, a Manassas Park police captain said in a Sept. 4 statement to the commonwealth’s attorney the detective admitted “she may have used the wrong words.”

The captain said the detective cited working for more than 30 hours straight and had no malicious intent.

The defense says prosecutors improperly waited until Sept. 16 to tell them about the Manassas Park police captain’s statement.

Naresh Bhatt’s lawyer also sought in the bond motion to cast doubt on the blood detection system investigators used inside the Bhatts’ home, and whether it was the defendant who allegedly conducted internet searches on remarrying after a spouse’s death.

Prosecutors say they have ample evidence of blood, missing knives and a cleaning supply purchase they link to Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance. A search warrant shows prosecutors requested her husband's Google records as part of the investigation.

A judge is expected to consider Naresh Bhatt’s request for bond Friday afternoon.
 
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www.fox5dc.com

Naresh Bhatt, husband of Manassas Park missing woman, appears in court Tuesday

Naresh Bhatt, a Manassas Park father accused of killing his wife and hiding her body, appeared in court on Tuesday. The details of the appearance remain unclear.
www.fox5dc.com www.fox5dc.com
Naresh Bhatt, a Manassas Park father accused of killing his wife and hiding her body, appeared in court on Tuesday. The details of the appearance remain unclear.

Upon arriving at the Prince William County Courthouse, FOX 5 learned the 9 a.m. hearing was slated as "ex parte,’ meaning the matter is closed to the public. No media were allowed inside.
 
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:
www.fox5dc.com

Naresh Bhatt, husband of Manassas Park missing woman, appears in court Tuesday

Naresh Bhatt, a Manassas Park father accused of killing his wife and hiding her body, appeared in court on Tuesday. The details of the appearance remain unclear.
www.fox5dc.com www.fox5dc.com
Naresh Bhatt, a Manassas Park father accused of killing his wife and hiding her body, appeared in court on Tuesday. The details of the appearance remain unclear.

Upon arriving at the Prince William County Courthouse, FOX 5 learned the 9 a.m. hearing was slated as "ex parte,’ meaning the matter is closed to the public. No media were allowed inside.
Click to expand...
Why is the public not allowed to see? The people in the courthouse work for us. They better have a good reason.
 
wtop.com

Police video shows first interaction with husband after disappearance of Mamta Kafle Bhatt - WTOP News

Body camera footage from police officers conducting a welfare check for Mamta Kafle Bhatt is one focus in the case against the Manassas Park woman’s husband.
wtop.com wtop.com

Police video shows first interaction with husband after disappearance of Mamta Kafle Bhatt​

Days after Mamta Kafle Bhatt was last seen, police conducted a welfare check on the mother from Manassas Park, Virginia. Body camera footage from the officers’ visit is one focus of the case against her husband.

Naresh Bhatt is charged with concealing her body, although police and prosecutors haven’t said they have located it.

His attorney will argue in court Friday that the judge should quash the arrest warrant and any evidence that was obtained after his arrest. Senior assistant public defender Shalev Ben-Avraham said police used false information to convince a magistrate to issue the arrest warrant.

Ben-Avraham referred to police body camera video recorded Aug. 2, when two Manassas Park police officers knocked on the couple’s door. The welfare check was conducted after Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s employer, UVA Health Prince William Medical Center, expressed concern that she hadn’t reported to work.

The defense argued that in two prior hearings, the Commonwealth asserted Naresh Bhatt didn’t want to file a missing person’s report.

During the 14-minute video, the officers said, “We’re looking for Miss Mamta Kafle.”

While holding the couple’s child, Naresh Bhatt said, “Yeah, on Tuesday, uh, Wednesday, she left and said she was going to either New York or Texas, and she had a phone, and she destroyed that phone, and then she left.”

The officers asked Naresh Bhatt why she left: “We’re about to separate,” and he said home inspectors were coming since he intended to sell the home. “This is not the first time that she’s disappeared and come back,” Naresh Bhatt said.

Several times during the welfare check, the officers asked him to contact them when his wife returned.

Other evidence submitted included a follow-up text exchange from Aug. 5, in which he informs an officer his wife had not returned and that he was not in contact with her.

The officer responded: “OK, sir, thank you for the update. If you have exhausted all methods of figuring out her whereabouts and believe she has gone missing, please dial 911.”

 
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