Published: 12:07 AM, 26 April 2026
Roommate charged in killings of two Bangladeshi PhD students in US
Hisham Abugharbieh has been charged with killing his roommate and another friend -- both Bangladeshi doctoral students -- after one of their bodies was found on a Tampa Bay bridge, authorities said Saturday.
Abugharbieh, 26, has been charged with two counts of first?degree premeditated murder with a weapon in the deaths of Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy. The two had been missing since last week, reports CNN.
"Evidence was presented to the State Attorney's Office, resulting in further charges against Abugharbieh. At this time, the search for Bristy continues," the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said.
Limon's body was discovered Friday on the Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa. Bristy has not yet been found, but investigators told her family in Bangladesh that they believe she may be dead, citing blood evidence recovered from the suspect's shared apartment.
Marine and dive teams searched waters near the bridge on Friday. A medical examiner is still determining Limon's cause of death. "This is a deeply disturbing case that has shaken our community and impacted many who were hoping for a safe resolution," Sheriff Chad Chronister said.
Abugharbieh was arrested Friday morning after barricading himself inside a home, prompting a SWAT response. He is also facing charges of unlawfully moving a dead body, failure to report a death, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment and battery, reports CNN.
Court records show Abugharbieh had a history of domestic violence allegations. He was arrested twice in 2023 on battery charges that were later dropped. His brother had previously sought an injunction to keep him away from the family home.
Limon and Bristy were last seen near the university campus on April 16. They were reported missing the following day by a family friend.
Abugharbieh, a former USF student who attended between 2021 and 2023, had been interviewed twice by law enforcement before his arrest. Investigators said they were able to link him to Limon's body by Friday.
Despite the arrest, Bristy's family remains desperate for answers. "She was a joyful, promising young researcher," her brother told US media.
