Human remains recovered in Tampa Bay have been identified as Nahida Bristy, the second University of South Florida doctoral student reported missing after she and classmate Zamil Limon vanished on April 16. Limon's body was found on the Howard Frankland Bridge wrapped in plastic; Bristy's remains were located in the bay after a dive-team search. Limon's roommate, Hisham Abugarbieh, has been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and several other felonies. Investigators say court documents show alleged online searches and ChatGPT queries about disposing of a body; causes of death have not been released and authorities are working to return the bodies to their families in Bangladesh.
Second Missing USF Doctoral Student Identified After Remains Recovered in Tampa Bay; Roommate Arrested
Nahida Bristy is seen in a photo provided by the University of South Florida Police Department.
Human remains recovered in Tampa Bay have been confirmed as those of Nahida Bristy, marking her as the second University of South Florida doctoral student reported missing after both she and classmate Zamil Limon vanished on April 16, authorities said Friday.
Investigators recovered Limon's body last Friday on the Howard Frankland Bridge across Tampa Bay; it was found wrapped in multiple black plastic bags. Search teams later located remains believed to be Bristy's in the bay on Sunday, and dive teams assisted in the recovery. Officials have not yet released causes of death for either victim.
Identification and family notification. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said Bristy was identified through DNA and dental comparisons, and by matching clothing she had been wearing before she disappeared. Bristy's family has been notified. Authorities are working to release both bodies to the families in Bangladesh for religious rites.
Arrest and charges. Police arrested Limon's roommate, Hisham Abugarbieh, 26, and charged him with two counts of first-degree murder, battery, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, failure to report a death and unlawfully moving a body. He is being held without bond.
Alleged online searches and ChatGPT queries. Court documents allege that in the days before the pair vanished, Abugarbieh used ChatGPT to ask how to dispose of a body. Investigators also say he searched online about whether "a knife could penetrate a skull" and whether a "neighbor could hear a gunshot." At a news conference, Sheriff Chronister described the details of the investigation as "gruesome."
Prior concerns and protective order. Family members told police they had previously raised concerns about Abugarbieh's erratic behavior. Court records include a 2023 protective order in which his younger brother, Ahmad, alleged episodes of violent or delusional behavior, saying Abugarbieh sometimes "would start screaming in the middle of the night about how he is God and we should all bow down to him." Court records also indicate Abugarbieh has been estranged from his family since 2023.
Victims and academic work. Friends and family said Limon and Bristy were both 27. Limon had been researching the use of artificial intelligence in environmental science and was reportedly days away from presenting his thesis; Bristy was a chemical engineering doctoral student. The families said the two had previously dated.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths and have not released additional details about the timing or cause of death. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
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