Key takeaways:
- Hisham Abugharbieh was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of USF doctoral students Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy.
- Limon's body was found on the Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa; Bristy remains missing but is believed to be deceased.
- Abugharbieh faces additional charges including domestic violence, battery, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, and failure to report a death.
Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of University of South Florida doctoral students Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy. Authorities arrested Abugharbieh on Friday after discovering Limon’s body on the Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa, Florida. Bristy remains missing, and law enforcement continues to search for her.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office announced that evidence presented to the state attorney’s office led to the murder charges against Abugharbieh, who was Limon’s roommate. The charges include premeditated murder with a weapon and carry the possibility of the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole.
Abugharbieh was also facing multiple other charges at the time of his arrest, including domestic violence, simple battery, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, failure to report a death, and unlawfully holding or moving a dead body. Deputies responded to a domestic violence call at a residence in the Lake Forest Community near USF’s Tampa campus, where Abugharbieh and Limon lived.
Limon and Bristy, both 27, were last seen on April 16. Limon was pursuing a doctoral degree focused on the use of artificial intelligence in environmental science and was scheduled to present his thesis this week. Bristy was studying chemical engineering. Both students had family in Bangladesh, and their relatives described it as unusual not to hear from them.
Bristy’s family was informed by police that she is likely deceased, based on the volume of blood found at Abugharbieh’s residence. Her brother, Zahid Pranto, told CBS News that police believe she may have been dismembered and that her body might never be recovered. Authorities have not released further details and continue the search for Bristy.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office declined to provide additional comments beyond confirming the charges and ongoing investigation. The university stated that Abugharbieh was enrolled at USF from spring 2021 through spring 2023, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Management, but was not currently enrolled.
Be First to Comment