Virginia (US): A jury on Tuesday found Naresh Bhatt guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, rejecting his claim that she died by suicide and that he dismembered her body in a panic after failing to revive her.

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Bhatt, 39, was also convicted of concealing and defiling his wife's body, bringing an end to a trial that began more than two years after the 28-year-old Nepalese nurse suddenly disappeared. Her body has never been found.

During his testimony last week, Bhatt told the court that he found his wife unconscious and tried unsuccessfully to revive her. He claimed that he panicked after she died and subsequently dismembered and disposed of her body. However, he denied killing her.

The jury's verdict came after considering the prosecution's case against Bhatt and his account of what happened to his wife.

Bhatt faces a possible sentence of life imprisonment for first-degree murder, along with an additional five years for each of the two charges related to the concealment and defilement of his wife's body.

He remained expressionless as the verdict was read out and briefly spoke to his attorney. Members of Kafle Bhatt's family were seen hugging each other after the verdict, with one family member thanking a prosecutor.

Bhatt is expected to be sentenced on March 12. The judge also revoked his bond following the verdict.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, was a nurse at the UVA Health Prince William Medical Centre in Manassas, Virginia. She was last seen in July 2024 and was reported missing in August after failing to turn up for work. Her colleagues had sought a police welfare check after she could not be contacted.

Naresh initially told investigators that he had not seen his wife and suggested that she might have travelled to New York or Texas. He eventually reported her missing on August 5, 2024. He was arrested on August 22, 2024, initially on a charge of concealing a dead body. A grand jury subsequently indicted him on first-degree murder and defiling a dead body, in addition to the concealment charge.

During the six-week trial, prosecutors presented forensic evidence, surveillance footage, phone records and digital searches to establish their case. Investigators found reddish-brown stains and hair-like strands on a power saw that Bhatt had purchased from a Home Depot store in June 2024. DNA testing found that samples collected from the saw were consistent with Mamta's DNA profile.

Prosecutors also presented surveillance footage showing Bhatt purchasing rubbish bags and cleaning supplies around the time of her disappearance. Investigators used phone and vehicle records to trace his movements, including visits to rubbish disposal sites. Digital forensic evidence also revealed internet searches about what happens when a spouse disappears.