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On Thursday police conducted several searches but say they found no evidence.
MANASSAS PARK, Va. — The Manassas Park Police Chief told WUSA9 Thursday night that the public can expect to see more and more searches happening, as they continue to investigate the disappearance of Mamta Kafle Bhatt.
The mother and nurse has been missing for more than a month. Investigators believe 37-year-old Naresh Bhatt killed his wife, but he has not been charged with murder, nor has her body been found.
According to court documents, investigators believe Naresh Bhatt killed his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, in late July and dragged her body outside their Manassas Park home. He's facing a lone charge of concealing a body.
On Thursday investigators searched the area surrounding Manassas Christian School, Camp Carondelet, and a portion of Blooms Park.
"We conducted several searches. We started at Manassas Christian. We went to Blooms Park and another wooded area behind the residence. They didn't locate any evidence," explained Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo, in an interview with WUSA9 Thursday.
Camp Carondelet is directly behind where Mamta, her husband Naresh, and their young daughter lived for almost a year.
Chief Lugo told WUSA9 that these particular locations were chosen based on the tips and leads they've received.
"We continue to get leads and tips from people, but also the records that we requested and subpoenaed for are starting to come in so now we are following those tracks and figuring out where to search next," said Chief Lugo. "You're gonna start seeing more of these sporadic searches going on".
He told WUSA9 that they did find "something" in last week's search of Signal Hill Park.
"So at Signal Hill Park, we did locate some stuff. We don't know if it's related. We collected it anyway. We sent it off to the lab to verify if it's connected. So, that was the only thing we located at Signal Hill Park. That was more on the backside of Signal Hill Park not necessarily where the parks and ball fields are at," said Chief Lugo.
"Have you found anything that leads you to believe that Mamta is still alive," asked WUSA9's Katie Lusso.
"I don't believe Mamta is still alive," he said. "There's no evidence that proves that yet, but obviously we're still searching."
"And you haven't found her?"
"We have not located her," he confirmed.
He told WUSA9 he has a message for the community.
"Be patient. Keep her in the press. Keep the pictures going and the flyers and letting people know that she matters and that we're all gonna continue to search for her and hopefully the outcome is that we locate her," said Lugo.
Investigators urged anyone who may know of Mamta Kafle Bhatt's whereabouts to contact them at 703-361-1136. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Manassas Park Crime Solvers at 703-330-0330.
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