A Virginia dad accused of hiding his wife's dead body and waiting several days to report her disappearance will be tried in December, a judge announced to a packed courtroom Monday.
Naresh Bhatt, 37, of Manassas Park, Virginia, stands accused of concealing a dead body in connection with the vanishing and presumed death of his 28-year-old wife Mamta Bhatt, according to police.
Defense attorneys will have the opportunity to plead his case beginning Dec. 9, according to WRC-TV.
It's unclear how long the trial is expected to last.
Bhatt has not yet entered a plea to the charge and remains held without bond.
His wife has not been seen or heard from since late July and remains missing.
"Everyone who is standing here today is a warrior for Mamta, and every time people show up, it's going to make Naresh Bhatt feel a little more uncomfortable," Mamta's coworker, Holly Wirth, said outside the courtroom Monday, according to the station.
Earlier this month, a judge granted the defense's motion for a speedy trial, despite pushback from prosecutors stating they needed more time to prepare for litigation.
Bhatt was arrested in mid-August, three weeks after Mamta was last seen alive, following an initial search of the couple's home during which traces of blood were allegedly discovered by investigators.
Investigators said forensic evidence indicated Mamta's body was dragged out of the home she shared with her husband and their 1-year-old daughter, WTTG-TV previously reported, citing court documents.
During a court hearing in August, prosecutors alleged Bhatt probed the internet for an answer to the question: "How long does it take to get married after a spouse dies?" prior to Mamta's disappearance, according to the Washington Post.
A motive remains under investigation.
