ݮý

Police search park for evidence in disappearance of Manassas Park mother

Police are searching a Northern Virginia park for evidence related to a missing Manassas Park mother.

Detectives developed information that led them to Signal Hill Park in their search for Mamta Kafle Bhatt, who was last seen July 31.

“Item(s) that have been collected are being processed to determine if they are connected to this investigation,” the Manassas Park Police Department said in a statement to ݮý.

Kafle Bhatt’s husband, Naresh, has been charged in connection with her disappearance.

In an interview with ݮý, Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo said the search for Kafle Bhatt has presented “a lot of challenges, but we’re definitely trying to find her.”

In recent days, grisly details emerged in court: Prosecutors said dried-up blood was found in the couple’s bedroom and bathroom; Naresh Bhatt had purchased knives and cleaning supplies from a Walmart in neighboring Loudoun County around the time of his wife’s disappearance; he sold his blue Tesla and attempted to sell their house; and he made Google searches related to the death of a spouse.

During a hearing on Thursday, Naresh waived his preliminary hearing, sending the felony charge of concealing a dead body directly to a grand jury. He will return to court on Oct. 7.

This story is developing. Stay with ݮý for the latest.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2024 ݮý. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

Ciara Wells

Ciara Wells is the Evening Digital Editor at ݮý. She is a graduate of American University where she studied journalism and Spanish. Before joining ݮý, she was the opinion team editor at a student publication and a content specialist at an HBCU in Detroit.

Federal ݮý Network Logo
Log in to your ݮý account for notifications and alerts customized for you.