The Prince William County Police Department is expressing gratitude to the community after another successful Polar Plunge event, which raised $130,000 for Special Olympics Virginia.
The event, held on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at Leesylvania State Park, saw strong participation from local residents, law enforcement personnel, and sponsors. Funds raised during the Polar Plunge will support Special Olympics Virginia, providing athletes with opportunities to compete and receive essential services.
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Updated –Members of the community gathered to honor the Manassas Park police department for their diligent efforts in the investigation of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a mother who has not been seen since July 2024. The recognition ceremony highlighted the role of law enforcement in uncovering key evidence in the high-profile case.
During the ceremony, 11 officers from the Manassas Park Police Department were presented with traditional Topi headdresses provided by Kafle Bhatt’s Nepalese family. Sunita Basnet Thapa, a coworker and mentor to Kafle Bhatt during her nursing career, explained the cultural significance of the Topi. “The headdress is traditionally presented to Nepalese men to identify them as honorable and hardworking,” she said.
This ceremony represents how far the police relationship with the community has developed. Early into the disappearance, residents harbored animosity toward what they perceived as police inaction and organized rallies and search parties to put pressure on local officials during the 22 days of her disappearance before police arrested the missing woman’s husband, Naresh Bhatt, on August 22, 2024.
Holly Wirth, another coworker of Kafle Bhatt, emphasized the importance of recognizing police contributions at this stage of the case. “We don’t have closure. We don’t have full justice. The truth is, what we have is only the work you did to bring us to this point. What happens now is really out of the control of the Police Department,” Wirth said.
Mamta Kafle Bhatt was last seen on July 30, 2024. Early in the investigation, police determined she was presumed dead. Her husband faces multiple charges related to her murder. Law enforcement alleges that Mamta was killed in her home, her body dismembered, and the remains disposed of in various trash receptacles across Northern Virginia.
A search of the home found what police describe as large pools of blood in the master bedroom and bathroom that had been cleaned; however, crime scene investigators used technology that allowed them to see where blood had been.
A significant development in the investigation came when the police obtained a warrant for GPS data from the couple’s Tesla. Police allege the data shows Naresh Bhatt’s movements in the days after she was last seen as he disposed of evidence. Forensic analysis matched DNA found on a reciprocating saw in the home to hair from Kafle Bhatt’s hairbrush, further substantiating the charges. Despite the GPS data, no human remains have been found despite dozens of searches.
Naresh Bhatt, a former contractor for the U.S. Secret Service, remains in custody at the Prince William Adult Detention Center without bond. Initially charged with concealing a dead body, the charges were later upgraded to include first-degree murder and defiling a dead body.
CourtTV, a cable TV broadcaster providing legal analysis of live court cases, has petitioned the Circuit Court to televise the trial. As of now, the court has not scheduled a hearing to address this request.
Bhatt’s trial is scheduled to begin September 8, 2025, and is expected to last 16 days.
A Prince William County Grand Jury returned an indictment of First Degree Murder and Physically Defiling the body of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, against her husband and Manassas Park resident Naresh Bhatt.
In a Dec. 2 press conference, Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo said, “I feel we have a strong case despite not having a body,” His department has been working closely with prosecutors to develop the case despite Bhatt not cooperating. “Based on the evidence at the crime scene, we knew early on we were dealing with a murder,” Lugo added, “all the evidence points to one person, and that is [Bhatt].”
Bhatt’s body has never been found.
Bhatt, who at the time of his arrest on August 22, 2024, was a contractor with the U.S. Secret Service, has been held without bond since his arrest. During his arraignment on charges of concealing a dead body in August, Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Sarah Sami presented online search history from Bhatt’s Federal Government computer provided by the U.S. Secret Service, where he searched for such phrases as “what happens when wife dead,” and “how long does it take to get married after spouse dies” in the months before her disappearance.
Bhatt is scheduled for a two-week trial beginning December 9, 2024. Still, Prince William County Commonwealth Amy Ashworth said she expects the “cases will be combined and will not likely be scheduled for trial until the fall of 2025.” Bhatt’s December 3 court date, when officials read the charges to the defendant, had to be postponed because no interpreters were available.
Bhatt had been arrested after his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, was reported missing on August 1, 2024, by co-workers after she missed her overnight shift as a nurse at the UVA Health Prince William Medical Center in Manassas. He was initially only charged with concealing a dead body.
Holly Worth, one of Kafle Bhatt’s co-workers, expressed gratitude for the work officials have done to bring Bhatt to justice, “I am pleased that he is being charged [in Kafle Bhatt’s] murder. I want to offer my appreciation for the tireless work that has led to the grand jury indictment.”
Court records show that the Grand Jury charge sheet lists the murder offense date as one day before the offense date for concealing a body, which was the original charge at his arrest. Prosecutors now allege the murder took place on July 29 while the crime of concealing a body occurred on July 30. The new developments show the prosecution has a stronger idea of what transpired between July 27, the day she was last seen, and August 1, the day her co-workers reported her missing.
The date of the offense is essential in the case as co-workers last saw her on July 27, and she posted content to social media late in the afternoon on July 28. Friends say calls and texts to her cell phone went unanswered after that post. Captain Steve Loving of Manassas Park Police said, “We believe we have a strong timeline of what happened in this case,” when asked about the different offense dates.
Several pieces of legislation are in the works in the Virginia General Assembly to address domestic violence in the Commonwealth. Delegate Ian Lovejoy (R-22, Bristow) is proposing a bill to create a domestic violence registry that requires those convicted of domestic violence to be listed in a searchable database available to the public.
If you think you are a victim of domestic violence, there is help available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is staffed 24 hours daily and supports more than 200 languages. Its toll-free number is 800-799-7233.
If you are in immediate need of assistance, please call 911.
Kafle Bhatt Investigation Timeline — Days Missing
– July 27
Last seen by co-workers.
Day -1
– July 28
Last social media post at 5:28 PM. Calls and texts go unanswered after this.
Day 0
– August 1
Fails to report to her shift as a nurse at Prince William UVA Hospital.
Day +4
– August 2
Manassas Park Police Department (MPPD) conducts a welfare check after reports from co-workers but does not speak directly with Kafle Bhatt. Her information is entered into a statewide database.
Day +5
– August 2–5
No apparent action by MPPD.
Days +6–8
– August 5
Bhatt is officially reported missing to MPPD.
Day +8
– August 5–8
Police later claim they were investigating, but no explanation is given for why an alert was not issued to the public.
Days +8–11
– August 8
At 2:52 PM, MPPD alerts the public that Kafle Bhatt is missing and requests tips, despite having opened an official investigation three days earlier.
Day +11
– August 21
Bhatt’s husband is named a person of interest. Crime scene investigators search his home.
Day +24
– August 22
Bhatt’s husband is seen being led away in handcuffs from his home. Their toddler is taken into custody by social services.
Day +25
WJLA-TV: The husband of a missing Manassas Park mother charged in connection to her disappearance is due back in court twice this week, as his defense seeks to quash his arrest warrant.
Local officials, including Delegate Michelle Maldonado (D), Vice Mayor Alanna Mensing, and Council Members Yesy Amaya and Darryl Moore, organized the event to create a safe and supportive environment for domestic violence survivors, they said during a governing body meeting on Sept. 17, 2024. A panel of representatives from various community-serving nonprofits will offer vital information on services available to victims and their families.
Attendees can hear from experts, ask questions, and gain insights into locally available resources. Among the organizations participating are agencies focused on mental health and emergency housing and advocates who work directly with survivors.
The event highlights the collaborative efforts of the community and nonprofit organizations to ensure support for those affected. Manassas Park City Schools also offer mental health support services, such as Care Solis, a multilingual, free mental health service open to all residents.
The city’s website also provides resources for domestic violence victims, including hotline numbers and community service programs that provide immediate help. The forum underscores Manassas Park’s dedication to fostering a community of safety, awareness, and prevention.
The workshop follows the disappearance and likely death of Mamta Kaffle Bhatt of Manassas Park. She’s not been seen since late July, and her husband, Naresh Bhatt, will stand trial on a charge of concealing a body in December. So far, investigators have located her body.
Insidenova.com: “The trial of Naresh Bhatt on a felony charge of concealment of a dead body has been scheduled to begin Dec. 9 in Prince William County Circuit Court. The six-day trial was set for Dec. 9-11 and Dec. 16-18, with an arraignment on Dec. 9 at 9 a.m. and a pre-trial conference on Nov. 20. The trial dates were set Monday.”
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Insidenova.com: “Naresh Bhatt’s defense took a step forward Friday morning as a Prince William Circuit Court judge partially granted a motion to compel, forcing the prosecution to turn over evidence related to Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s canceled Uber ride on July 27.” Read More
A 31-year-old man from Manassas City was found dead in Blooms Park on the night of September 6, 2024, after police and multiple agencies responded to a report of a lost hiker. The search included assistance from the Manassas Park Fire Department, Prince William County Police Department, Fairfax County Police Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities have confirmed there is no suspected foul play and no threat to the public. The victim’s name has not been released, and the case has been handed over to the medical examiner for review.
This incident is unrelated to the case of the missing mother, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, who is presumed dead. Police have conducted searches in Blooms Park and nearby areas for her body. Her husband, Naresh Bhatt, was arrested and charged with felony concealing a body on Thursday.
Press Release
On September 06, 2024 at approximately 2100 hours, units responded to Blooms Park (9701 Manassas Dr) for a report of a lost hiker in the area. Units checked the area extensively in conjunction with the Manassas Park Fire Department, Prince William County Police Department, Fairfax County Police Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Department. The subject was located deceased by units. There is no suspected foul play, and no threat to the public. The deceased is identified as a 31 year old male from Manassas City. The next of kin has been notified. The case has been turned over to the medical examiners office for review.
Insidenova.com: “A large police presence has assembled at the site of the former Manassas Christian School in Manassas Park. Holly Wirth, a friend and mentor of Mamta Bhatt’s, told an InsideNoVa reporter Thursday morning the search is related to the Bhatt case. Wirth has been in close communication with police since Naresh Bhatt’s arrest.”
