Family members, friends and supporters gathered in Manassas Park, Virginia, on Friday to mark two years since Mamta Kafle Bhatt disappeared.
Many attending the vigil outside the Manassas Park Police Department wore red, Bhatt’s favorite color. Supporters shared memories of the nurse and mother while expressing their grief and hope for justice.
“Mamta may not physically be here with us, but I can tell you her light is shining bright,” her friend and former co-worker Holly Wirth told the crowd.
Bhatt was last heard from on July 29, 2024. She is presumed dead, but her body has never been found.
Prosecutors have said surveillance video showed her husband, Naresh Bhatt, visiting several stores in the days after her disappearance, where he bought garbage bags, carpet cleaner, two pairs of rubber gloves and a three-pack of knives. Police later recovered one of those knives, the other two were never found, according to court records.
Court documents also allege surveillance cameras captured Naresh Bhatt disposing of bags of trash at multiple dumpsters and trash compactor sites across Northern Virginia, including one in Falls Church at 1:30 a.m.
Investigators said internet searches linked to Naresh Bhatt included a diagram of the human brain and “chicken farm near me.” Authorities also said he searched what happens to financial debt if someone disappears and how divorce proceedings are affected when a spouse goes missing, in the months before Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance.
Naresh Bhatt has been charged with murder and other offenses. His trial is scheduled to begin in October.
Last month, a Prince William County Circuit Court judge indicated she is inclined to allow audio and podcast recording devices in the courtroom during the expected 25-day jury trial.
Speaking through a translator at Friday’s vigil, Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s mother Gita Kafle, said she continues to wait for accountability.
“Whoever did this to my daughter, he has to get punished. I have been waiting for that day,” Kafle said.
Family supporter Prabha Bhattari said loved ones remain focused on seeking justice. “The grieving continues going on for all of us until the justice is done,” she said.
Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo also spoke at the vigil.
“We stand with Mamta’s family and loved ones as they remember her life, not how it ended but the kindness, love, strength she brought to those around her,” Lugo said.
Court records indicate blood was found on a reciprocating saw in the couple’s home. Prosecutors have said evidence expected to be presented at trial will show Naresh Bhatt killed his wife and dismembered her body.
Those who attended Friday’s vigil held signs that read, “Two years gone, but your love stays,” and “Gone too soon, but never forgotten.”
WTOP’s Diane Morris contributed to this report.
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