The body of one of two Bangladeshi doctoral students missing from the University of South Florida (USF) was found on a bridge over Tampa Bay, and his roommate has been taken into custody, law enforcement authorities said Friday.
Zamil Limon’s remains were found on the Howard Frankland Bridge on Friday morning, but Nahida Bristy is still missing, Hillsborough county sheriff’s office chief deputy Joseph Maurer said.
Limon’s roommate in an off-campus apartment, 26-year-old Hisham Saleh Abugharbeih, was taken into custody at his family’s home nearby on preliminary charges that include unlawfully moving a dead body, failure to report a death, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment and battery.
“We are still actively searching for Nahida,” Maurer said, appealing to the public to share any useful information.
Officers encountered Abugharbeih as they responded to a report of domestic violence at his family’s home, just north of the campus, and were able to remove his relatives to safety. He then barricaded himself inside and refused to come out. A special tactical team responded, along with a drone, a robot and crisis negotiators, before Abugarbeih came out with his hands up, apparently wearing nothing but a blue towel.
“This is a deeply disturbing case that has shaken our community and impacted many who were hoping for a safe resolution,” Hillsborough sheriff Chad Chronister said. “While the discovery of Zamil Limon’s remains is heartbreaking, I want the public to know that our detectives worked and are working tirelessly and relentlessly to uncover the truth.”
Limon and Bristy, both 27, were a couple, and they were considering marriage, a relative said. They disappeared from campus on 16 April. Limon, who was studying geography, environmental science and policy, was last seen at his home in an apartment complex where he lived with Abugharbeih. Bristy, who was studying chemical engineering and lived on campus, was last seen an hour later at a campus science building.
A family friend contacted authorities on 17 April after being unable to contact either one, USF police said.
Investigators interviewed Abugharbeih, who is a US citizen, on Thursday, Maurer said, but Abugharbeih ended the interview. Maurer said Abugharbeih was speaking with detectives again after his arrest Friday morning.
There are no other suspects in the investigation at this time, Maurer said.
An autopsy is being done on the remains to determine the manner and cause of Limon’s death, and those results will “perhaps” be available Saturday morning, he said.
Abugharbeih had been a USF student but was not currently enrolled. University records showed he had attended the school from spring 2021 through spring 2023, and had pursued a bachelor’s of science in management, a USF spokesperson said.
Abugharbeih also had several previous arrests, the sheriff’s office said. He was charged with battery and burglary of an unoccupied dwelling in September 2023, and with battery that May, both classified in court records as misdemeanors. Court records show Abugharbeih may have entered into a diversion program. A phone call to his lawyer in that case was not immediately returned.
Hillsborough county court records also showed two domestic violence petitions filed by a family member in 2023. A judge granted an injunction in one case and denied the other petition. He also was accused of traffic violations.
“We will continue to follow every fact, pursue every lead, and use every tool available to hold those responsible fully accountable,” Chronister said in the sheriff’s office statement.
“Our thoughts remain with the families of Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy during this time.”
