A speck of blood led investigator to more evidence, she testifies in trial of Virginia man accused of killing wife

Naresh Bhatt is standing trial for the purported murder of his wife, whose body was never found.MANASSAS, Va. (CN) — A crime scene analyst who spotted a tiny reddish-brown speck on a windowsill led investigators to uncover evidence of blood in the bathroom and bedroom of Naresh Bhatt, accused of the murder and disappearance of his wife.Now in the second week of trial, prosecutors are taking jurors in this Northern Virginia community step by step through the investigation process that led to the arrest of Bhatt, 39, for the 2024 murder of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28.On Wednesday, Andrea Feldman, a professor in the forensic science program at George Mason University and formerly a crime scene investigator for Prince William’s Police Department, recounted the systematic search she conducted with other law enforcement officers of the Bhatt residence.In the bathroom, “I noticed a stain,” Feldman said.It was a speck on a windowsill. Feldman took a picture of it and noticed other spots, as well. Officers had already noted the bottles of cleaning fluid and stain remover in the house. The bathroom was clean. But armed with Bluestar, a chemical that detects the presence of blood, they sprayed the bathroom. Blue spots glowed flouresent around the tub and in front of the shower, indicating a past bloodstain.Feldman also noticed one window in the bathroom had blinds while the other did not. Officers found the missing blinds in the closet and discovered another stain.They also sprayed an area in the bedroom where they noticed the bed was positioned so that it blocked a portion of a closet doorframe. Feldman remembered noticing a spot on the bedroom carpet with a different texture. Officers moved the bed, along with a chair positioned by the bed. Using the Bluestara chemical again, they discovered the remnants of a larger blood stain. The blue glow extended from that stain in an oblong direction, either from the bathroom to the bed or from the bed to the bathroom.Mamta Bhatt was last seen during a video call with her mother July 29, 2024, weeks before her daughter’s first birthday. Her body was never found. In opening statements, Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew Sweet told the 12 jurors and five alternates that Bhatt murdered his wife, cleaned up the bloody mess and tossed her dismembered body in area trash compactors after the murder.Soon after Mamta Bhatt vanished, friends began to look for her. Naresh Bhatt offered shifting explanations — primarily indicating that she had left. While searching the couple’s house, officers found a wallet with three of her credit cards, Feldman said.Prosecutors are also leaning into a narrative that paints Mamta Bhatt as the victim of domestic violence.Months before Mamta Bhatt’s disappearance, she confided that her husband hit her, according to Sarita Neupane, a friend and confidant who testified during the first week of trial. The two argued after Mamta Bhatt discovered that her husband had multiple chats and conversations with multiple women.The trial is expected to last even weeks, with a witness list that includes experts in crime scene investigation and reconstruction.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads