Roommate arrested as body of missing Bangladeshi student of Florida university found, no trace of girlfriend

The body of a Bangladeshi doctoral student who went missing with his girlfriend from the University of South Florida was found on a bridge over Tampa Bay, and his roommate has been taken into custody, law enforcement authorities said on Friday.

Zamil Limon's remains were found on the Howard Frankland bridge on Friday morning, but Nahida Bristy is still missing, Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer said.

Limon's roommate Hisham Saleh Abugharbeih, 26, 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. He was expected to make a first appearance in court Saturday morning.

"We are still actively searching for Nahida," Maurer said, appealing to the public to share any useful information. Law enforcement dive teams were searching the bay near the bridge as part of those efforts, the sheriff's office said.

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 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 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," 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 considering getting married, a relative said. They disappeared from campus on April 16. Limon was last seen at his home in an off-campus apartment complex where he lived with Abugharbeih. Bristy, who lived on campus, was last seen an hour later at a campus science building.

A family friend contacted authorities last Friday after being unable to contact either one, USF police said.

Investigators spoke with Abugharbeih, who is a native-born US citizen, on Thursday, Maurer said, but after initially talking, Abugharbeih chose to end the interview. He said Abugharbeih was speaking with detectives again after his arrest on 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 are expected on Saturday morning, he said.

Unsavoury record

Abugharbeih had been a USF student but was not currently enrolled. University records showed he had attended the school from Spring 2021 till Spring 2023, and had pursued a BS in Management, a university spokesperson said.

Limon was studying geography, environmental science and policy, and Bristy is studying chemical engineering.

Abugharbeih 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 entered into a diversion programme for first-time offenders charged with misdemeanours. He completed the programme in 2024 and the charges were discontinued. 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.

Associated Press