Naresh Bhatt Sent Wife Ominous 'Regret' Message 162 Days Before Her Murder, Jury Heard

A threatening text message sent by Naresh Bhatt to his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 162 days before her murder, became a key part of prosecutors' closing arguments as a Virginia jury convicted him of killing the 28-year-old nurse. On Tuesday, the 39-year-old was found guilty of first-degree murder, concealing a dead body and physically defiling human remains.

The verdict came more than two years after Mamta disappeared from her Manassas Park home in July 2024. Her body has never been recovered.

Naresh Bhatt Sent Ominous Text on His Birthday

According to text messages presented during the trial, Bhatt sent his wife a hostile message at approximately 1.30 am on 19 February 2024, his birthday, amid growing tensions in their marriage. 'The days are coming that you will regret a lot,' he wrote, before accusing Mamta of being cruel and raising concerns about their daughter's future.

Later that morning, at approximately 7.30 am, Mamta wished him a happy birthday, writing, 'Happy birthday Raja. may all your wishes come true'.

During closing arguments, Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Sarah Sami told jurors that Bhatt had effectively warned his wife about what was coming. 'He told Mamta what he was going to do with her,' Sami said. '162 days later, he delivered on that promise.'

The prosecution also presented evidence of marital difficulties, including disputes over money, divorce and control within the relationship.

Naresh Admitted Dismembering Wife but Denied Murder

Mamta, a Nepalese nurse employed at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center, disappeared in late July 2024. Her colleagues became concerned after she failed to report for work on 1 August, prompting a police welfare check.

Bhatt initially claimed that his wife had travelled to visit relatives and maintained that he did not know her whereabouts. However, during his testimony in November 2026, he admitted dismembering her body and disposing of her remains in rubbish bags.

He claimed he discovered Mamta unconscious on their bedroom floor on 30 July, surrounded by vomit and blood, with an insecticide packet nearby. Bhatt told the court he believed she had died by suicide and said he panicked because he feared being blamed. He acknowledged using a reciprocating saw and knives to dismember her remains but continued to deny killing her.

Prosecutors rejected his explanation, presenting surveillance footage of tool purchases and rubbish disposal, alongside forensic evidence linking Mamta's blood to the couple's home.

Investigators also examined Bhatt's movements after Mamta disappeared, including multiple trips to rubbish disposal sites. Prosecutors argued that his actions demonstrated a deliberate effort to conceal evidence and prevent authorities from recovering her remains.

The jury ultimately rejected his account.

Virginia Jury Finds Naresh Bhatt Guilty of Wife's Murder

Following a trial lasting several weeks, a Prince William County jury convicted Bhatt on all three charges after approximately four hours of deliberations. Commonwealth's Attorney Amy Ashworth described the verdict as 'an important measure of justice' for Mamta's family.

Bhatt faces a possible life sentence for first-degree murder, with sentencing scheduled for 12 March 2027. For Mamta's relatives, the verdict brings a measure of accountability, although the whereabouts of her remains remain unknown.

The conviction also closes a significant chapter in a case where prosecutors secured a murder verdict without recovering the victim's body, relying instead on forensic evidence, surveillance footage and Bhatt's own testimony.