A roommate faces two counts of murder after a USF doctoral student and his girlfriend disappeared earlier this month, authorities said.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Murder charges have been filed against the roommate of a Bangladeshi doctoral student who disappeared with his girlfriend earlier this month from the University of South Florida, authorities said Saturday.
Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, is facing two counts of first-degree murder with a weapon (premeditated) in the deaths of USF students Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Lemon’s remains were found on the Howard Frankland Bridge Friday morning, but Bristy is still missing, Hillsborough County Deputy Chief Joseph Maurer said Friday.
Abugharbieh, a Native American citizen, was initially taken into custody Friday at his family’s home on preliminary charges that include unlawful movement of a dead body, failure to report a death, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment and battery.
Officers encountered Abugharbieh while responding to a report of domestic violence at his family’s home, north of campus, and were able to move his relatives to safety. But then he barricaded himself inside and refused to come out. A SWAT team responded — along with a drone, a robot and crisis negotiators — before Abugharbieh emerged with his hands up, apparently wearing nothing but a blue towel.
Limon and Bristy, both 27, were thinking of getting married, a relative said. They disappeared from the campus on April 16. Limon was last seen at his home in an off-campus apartment complex where he lived with Abugharbieh. Bristy, who lived on campus, was last seen an hour later in a campus science building.
An autopsy is being performed on the remains to determine Limon’s manner and cause of death, and those results are expected Saturday morning, Maurer said Friday.
Abugharbieh had been a USF student but was not currently enrolled. University records showed he had attended the school from spring 2021 to spring 2023 and was pursuing a BS in Management, a university spokesman said.
Limon studied geography, environmental science and politics, and Bristy studied chemical engineering.
The search for Bristy continues. Anyone with information about her disappearance is asked to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Abugharbieh had several prior arrests, the sheriff’s office said. He was charged with battery and burglary of an unoccupied dwelling in September 2023, and battery in May — both classified in court records as misdemeanors.
Court records show Abugharbieh entered a diversion program for first-time offenders charged with misdemeanors. He completed the program in 2024 and the charges were dropped. A call to his attorney 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 a restraining order in one case and denied the other petition. He was also charged with a traffic violation.
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