university of south florida is at the center of a fast-moving murder case after Hillsborough County authorities said a roommate was booked on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder with a weapon. The charges involve Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, two Bangladeshi doctoral students who disappeared from the university on April 16. Limon’s remains were found Friday morning on the Howard Frankland Bridge over Tampa Bay, while Bristy remained missing as of Saturday morning.
Charges deepen after body recovery
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office announced Saturday that Hisham Abugharbieh faces two counts in the deaths of Limon and Bristy. He had been detained after a standoff with police and initially faced preliminary accusations that included unlawfully moving a dead body, failure to report a death, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment and battery.
Investigators said Abugharbieh was the off-campus apartment roommate of Limon, who was last seen at home in an apartment complex where he lived with Abugharbieh. Bristy, who lived on campus, was last seen an hour later at a campus science building. A family friend contacted authorities on April 17 after being unable to reach either student.
The sheriff’s office said it would not comment on the findings in the case to protect the integrity of the investigation. Abugharbieh was ordered held without bond at his initial court appearance in Tampa, with a hearing tentatively set for April 28.
What investigators said happened
officers responded to a report of domestic violence at a home just north of campus, where they were able to remove Abugharbieh’s relatives to safety. He then barricaded himself inside and refused to come out. A special tactical team, along with a drone, a robot and crisis negotiators, responded before Abugharbieh came out with his hands up.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister called the case deeply disturbing and said detectives were working tirelessly to uncover the truth. University of South Florida Chief of Police Chris Daniel was part of the update on the search for Bristy and the response tied to the suspect’s arrest.
Investigators also said they had interviewed Abugharbieh on Thursday, but he ended the interview. He was speaking with detectives again after his arrest on Friday.
University of South Florida and the missing students
Limon was studying geography, environmental science and policy. Bristy was studying chemical engineering. A relative said the two, both 27, were a couple considering marriage. university of south florida records showed Abugharbieh had attended the school from 2021 to 2023 and had pursued a bachelor’s of science in management, but he was not enrolled at the time of his arrest.
Authorities said an autopsy was being done on Limon to determine his manner and cause of death. Results were possible by Saturday, investigators said. The case had drawn national attention after the students disappeared, and Abugharbieh is considered the only suspect.
What comes next
The immediate focus now is the search for Bristy and the continuing investigation into the deaths tied to university of south florida. With a court hearing set for April 28 and detectives still reviewing evidence, they are trying to preserve the case while answering the central question of what happened to the two students. For now, university of south florida remains at the center of a case that has left a campus community waiting for more answers.
