A chilling case out of Florida is shaking an entire university community after two doctoral students vanished—and investigators now say their roommate is responsible.
Authorities say 26-year-old Hisham Abugharbieh has been charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder in the deaths of fellow University of South Florida PhD students Zamil Limon, 27, and Nahida Bristy. The two students, both from Bangladesh, had been missing for days before the case took a devastating turn.
Limon’s body was discovered Friday on the Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. As of now, Bristy has not been found, but investigators fear the worst after discovering a significant amount of blood inside the apartment she shared with Limon and the suspect.
Search crews, including marine and dive teams, have been combing the waters near the bridge as the desperate search continues.
Officials say Abugharbieh was taken into custody Friday morning after deputies responded to a domestic violence call at his home. What followed was a tense standoff, with the suspect barricading himself inside before eventually surrendering to a SWAT team. Video from the scene shows him walking out with his hands raised and a towel wrapped around his waist.
In addition to the murder charges, Abugharbieh is also facing a long list of serious counts, including moving a dead body, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment, battery, and failing to report a death.
Investigators say he had already been on their radar. He was interviewed multiple times during the investigation but stopped cooperating during a second round of questioning. By Friday, authorities say they had gathered enough evidence to directly link him to Limon’s death.
The two victims were reported missing on April 17 after a family friend couldn’t reach them. Limon was last seen the morning of April 16 at his off-campus home, while Bristy was spotted about an hour later at a campus science building. Both had only recently begun their doctoral programs.
Friends and family say the two were close—and possibly planning a future together. Limon had even spoken to his family about marrying Bristy, describing her as talented, kind, and full of life.
“He always had a smile on his face,” Limon’s brother said, describing him as a dedicated researcher who dreamed of returning to Bangladesh one day to become a university professor.
The case has left loved ones in shock.
“We are becoming numb,” his brother said. “We just want to know the truth. It’s not possible that two students just disappear like this.”
University officials say they are staying in close contact with both families as the investigation unfolds.
Give him a seat in an Electric Chair!