US man admits dismembering wife's body after claiming she went missing

An Indian-origin man in the US state of Virginia has admitted cutting up his wife's body with a saw nearly two years after reporting her missing, while claiming that she had died by suicide.

Naresh Bhatt made the claims while testifying in a Virginia court in connection with the disappearance and presumed death of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a 28-year-old nurse and mother of one.

According to US media reports, Naresh told the court that he found his wife unconscious near the foot of their bed on the night of July 29, 2024. He said there was vomit around her and an open packet of pesticide beside the bed.

He testified that he had gone to sleep with their child that night and did not hear when Mamta came upstairs. He said he discovered her condition at around 4:00 AM and spent nearly an hour trying to wake her.

He then moved her body to the bathroom.

During his testimony, Naresh admitted using a saw to dismember her body, saying he wanted to make the pieces small enough to fit inside a container.

"I was trying to make it smaller so it could fit in a can," he reportedly told the court, describing how he attempted to separate her legs.

He also said he had struggled to control his hands and had considered ending his own life at the time. He eventually placed the remains in a trash container.

Naresh said he had been frightened and tried to call emergency services, but did not explain why no 911 call was made.

Mamta was last seen on July 27, 2024, at UVA Health Prince William Medical Centre in Manassas, where she worked in the medical-surgical unit. Her disappearance was reported by Naresh on August 5, 2024.

Initially, he told police that she might have travelled to New York or Texas to visit relatives. Investigators later found that she had no relatives in either state.

Police subsequently discovered blood-like stains in the couple's bedroom and traces of blood in the bathroom. DNA testing confirmed that blood found in the bedroom belonged to Mamta.

Investigators also found that Naresh had purchased a knife and cleaning supplies on July 30, shortly after the alleged killing.

He was arrested on August 22, 2024, and charged with first-degree murder, concealing a body and other offences.

Despite his courtroom account, Naresh has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

Source: WUSA, The Indian Express

sks