Hisham Abugharbieh Charged With Two Counts Of Murder In Deaths Of USF Doctoral Students

A former University of South Florida student, Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, was charged with two counts of murder in the first degree in connection with the deaths and disappearance of two USF doctoral students from Bangladesh, Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said Abugharbieh is facing two counts of premeditated murder in the first degree with a weapon in the deaths of Limon and Bristy, and he made an initial court appearance Saturday in Tampa where he was ordered held without bond.

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Limon’s remains were found on the Howard Frankland bridge Friday morning, while Bristy was still missing, Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer said on Friday.

AP reported that Abugharbieh was initially taken into custody on Friday at his family’s home on preliminary charges that include unlawfully moving a dead body, failure to report a death, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment and battery.

CBS News said both sets of remains were found on or near the Howard Frankland Bridge, which spans a portion of Tampa Bay, and that Limon’s body was found Friday and authorities Sunday while searching for Bristy.

People later reported that an autopsy by the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Limon’s manner of death to be homicide and the cause to be "multiple sharp force injuries," and that his body was found with his wrists and ankles bound.

In court filings discussed by The Guardian, prosecutors said Limon’s remains were found on Friday morning "within numerous black utility trash bags in advanced stages of decomposition" on the Howard Frankland Bridge over Tampa Bay.

Investigators’ timeline, as described across multiple reports, centers on the disappearance of Limon and Bristy around April 16 and the subsequent discovery of remains on the Howard Frankland Bridge and in Tampa Bay waterways.

AP said Limon and Bristy disappeared from campus on April 16, with Limon last seen at his home in an off-campus apartment complex where he lived with Abugharbieh and Bristy last seen an hour later at a campus science building.

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The Guardian said the students disappeared from the USF campus on 16 April and that prosecutors alleged Abugharbieh consulted ChatGPT and ordered items in the days leading up to the disappearance.

CNN described a timeline in which prosecutors said Abugharbieh asked ChatGPT on April 13, "What happens if a human has a put (sic) in a black garbage bag and thrown in a dumpster," and that the chatbot responded it sounded dangerous before Abugharbieh sent another message: "How would they find out."

CNN also reported that prosecutors alleged Abugharbieh asked ChatGPT on April 15 about keeping a gun at home without a license and whether a car’s VIN number could be changed.

The Guardian similarly described prosecutors alleging Abugharbieh ordered duct tape and trash bags and asked ChatGPT questions, including "Can a VIN number on a car be changed?" and "Can you keep a gun at home with out a license."

Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported that investigators said they used cellphone location data, license plate readers and information tied to Aghubarbieh’s car to retrace movements, ultimately leading them to Limon’s body.

Beyond the criminal charges, CBS News reported that the brother of the suspect, Ahmad Abugharbie, 22, said the family tried to warn police in the past about Hisham Abugharbieh’s erratic behavior.

Ahmad Abugharbie told CBS News that his older brother was quick to anger and shouldn’t have been living in a shared space with roommates, saying, "We tried to warn police in the past."

CBS News also described how Ahmad Abugharbie said he was among the members of his family who called police to the family home after the elder Abugharbieh showed up Friday morning and was "being very weird."

The report said Hisham Abugharbieh was taken into custody in dramatic fashion after a domestic violence call, and that he came out with his hands up, apparently wearing nothing but a blue towel, a detail AP also described as him coming out with his hands up, apparently wearing nothing but a blue towel.

CBS News added that court records and an arrest report described a confrontation in which the report stated, "The defendant was attempting to kiss the victim," and that the victim was able to push away.

CBS News reported that the family had filed two protective orders against Hisham Abugharbieh, one in 2023 that was granted and another in 2025 that was denied, and that a judge denied the 2025 request because the battery criminal charges were not pursued.

A spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office told CBS News, "While we understand the attention surrounding the case, our ethical obligations and our client's right to a fair trial require that we refrain from public comment."

The accounts of what investigators found and how the case is framed vary across outlets, even when they describe the same core events.

AP emphasized the initial investigation and the charge posture, saying Abugharbieh was ordered held without bond and that an autopsy was being done to determine the manner and cause of Limon’s death, with results expected Saturday morning.

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People, by contrast, reported that the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Limon’s manner of death to be homicide and the cause to be "multiple sharp force injuries," and that his body was found with his wrists and ankles bound.

The Guardian focused on prosecutors’ court filing details, including that Limon’s remains were found "within numerous black utility trash bags in advanced stages of decomposition" and that prosecutors said there was "no evidence has been uncovered during the course of the investigation to support any probability Nahida Bristy remains alive."

CNN also relied on a court filing and described prosecutors’ request that Abugharbieh stay in jail pending trial, quoting the motion that "The brutal and violent nature of the offense where the victims were killed by the defendant establishes a probability of danger his release poses to the safety of the community,"

Fox 13 Tampa Bay described investigative methods and physical evidence, saying investigators used cellphone location data, license plate readers and information tied to Aghubarbieh’s car to retrace movements.

CNN also added a public-facing investigative step, saying investigators were seeking dashcam video from anyone who drove on the Howard Frankland Bridge on April 17 between 1 and 5 a.m.

As the case moves forward, multiple reports describe upcoming court steps, continued searches, and the legal arguments being made about risk.

AP said a hearing is set for April 28, and that Abugharbieh was ordered held without bond after his initial court appearance in Tampa.

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CNN said Abugharbieh is due in court Tuesday for a status hearing, and that the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office declined to share details citing Abugharbieh’s right to a fair trial.

CNN also described prosecutors’ pretrial detention motion and quoted language asking that he remain jailed, including that "The brutal and violent nature of the offense where the victims were killed by the defendant establishes a probability of danger his release poses to the safety of the community" and that "No conditions of release will reasonably protect the community from risk of physical harm."

Meanwhile, AP reported that the search for Bristy continues and that anyone with information regarding her disappearance is asked to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Fox 13 Tampa Bay said investigators continued working to identify the second set of remains and that the University of South Florida said both students will be honored on a campus memorial recognizing those who have passed away.

AP quoted Vice Chancellor Mohammad Ismail saying, "we demand punishment for those involved in her death and compensation for the victim’s family."