US man charged with murder of wife after Googling “How long does it take to get married after spouse dies?”

A Virginia man faces murder charges in connection with his wife’s disappearance as disturbing details continue to emerge. Naresh Bhatt, 33, is accused of killing his wife, 28-year-old Mamta Kafle Bhatt, who is from Nepal. The prosecution revealed that Naresh had allegedly searched online for “How quickly to remarry after the death of a spouse” and was seen buying suspicious items soon after Mamta disappeared. The investigation is ongoing, CNN reported.

Court records obtained by People show Bhatt was charged with two felonies in Prince William County Circuit Court. His wife Mamta was last seen on July 29 but her body has not been found.

A Virginia grand jury has indicted Bhatt, a Manassas Park resident, on murder and corpse desecration charges after evidence emerged suggesting a crime, including suspicious purchases and disturbing online searches in the days after Mamta’s disappearance.

Mamta was reported missing on August 5 after she failed to show up for work, prompting a health check by local authorities. In addition to the murder charge, Bhatt is also accused of hiding a body. He is scheduled to appear in court to respond to these allegations.

Mamta was presumed dead shortly after she was reported missing. During questioning, Bhatt told police that the couple was in the process of separating. Prosecutors allege he searched in April on topics such as “How Long Does a Marriage Last After a Spouse Deaths,” “What Happens to Debts After a Spouse Deaths” and “What Happens When a Spouse Disappears in Virginia.”

Evidence later revealed that Bhatt had purchased three knives at a local Walmart, two of which were still missing. Surveillance footage reportedly showed him buying cleaning supplies at another Walmart the next day.

Prosecutors allege Bhatt threw a blood-stained bath mat and bags into a trash compactor after his wife’s disappearance. While Bhatt’s lawyers argue that she is still alive, DNA evidence confirmed that her blood was found in her home, suggesting she was killed and dismembered. This evidence strengthened the case against him, even though her body was not recovered.

Initially, Bhatt gave unclear explanations about his wife’s disappearance and delayed reporting her as missing. He was arrested following a search of their home on August 22 and remains in custody since being refused bail in September. Surveillance footage showing Bhatt disposing of garbage bags has increased suspicions that Mamta was murdered by her husband, prompting another search for the missing mother-of-one.