Howard County police issued an arrest warrant on Jan. 4 for 26-year-old Arjun Sharma after 27-year-old Nikitha Godishala was found stabbed to death in his Columbia apartment on Jan. 3. Detectives believe the killing occurred around 7 p.m. on Dec. 31. Sharma reported Godishala missing, then left the country for India; investigators are working with federal authorities to locate him. Family members say a money dispute may have motivated the attack.
Man Reported Ex Missing, Flew to India — Woman Found Stabbed in His Columbia Apartment
Nikitha Godishala/InstagramNikitha Godishala
Howard County police have issued an arrest warrant after a 27-year-old woman was found dead with multiple stab wounds in an apartment in Columbia, Maryland. Authorities say the man who reported her missing left the country for India the day after her body was discovered.
What Happened
On Jan. 3, investigators discovered the body of 27-year-old Nikitha Godishala inside an apartment on Twin Rivers Road in Columbia. Police say she had sustained multiple stab wounds. The following day, Jan. 4, the Howard County Police Department issued an arrest warrant charging 26-year-old Arjun Sharma with first- and second-degree murder.
Timeline and Investigation
According to police, Sharma reported Godishala missing after last saying he saw her on Dec. 31 in his apartment. Detectives believe the stabbing occurred around 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Authorities say Sharma boarded a flight to India after reporting her missing; investigators are coordinating with U.S. federal law enforcement to locate and apprehend him.
Family Allegations: Godishala’s father, Anand Godishala, told The Times of India that the two had been roommates and that a money dispute may have led to the fatal encounter. “He was one of the four housemates in the flat where she stayed and moved away,” he said. “Nikitha lent him money and when she asked for the money back, he called her to his house and committed the crime,”
Her cousin, Saraswati, also told The Times of India that Godishala went to Sharma’s apartment on Dec. 31 to collect money she said he owed her. Police have described Godishala as Sharma’s ex-girlfriend based on information gathered from multiple sources.
Victim Background
The Times of India report notes that Godishala held a master’s degree in health information technology and had been employed as a data and strategy analyst at Vheda Health. (The cited start date in the original report appears to be a typographical error and has been flagged as such.)
Howard County police have declined to release further details while the investigation remains active. Authorities ask anyone with information about Sharma’s whereabouts to contact law enforcement.
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