Hisham Abugharbieh, the roommate of a missing University of South Florida doctoral student, has been charged with two counts of premeditated murder in the deaths of Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office announced the charges on Saturday, following the discovery of Limon's remains on the Howard Frankland Bridge.
Abugharbieh was arrested after a standoff at his family's home near the campus. Officers responding to a domestic violence report found Abugharbieh barricaded inside; he eventually surrendered, wearing only a blue towel. He had initially been held on charges including unlawful moving of a dead body, tampering with evidence, and false imprisonment.
Limon and Bristy, both 27, were a couple considering marriage. They disappeared on 16 April, with Limon last seen at his off-campus apartment shared with Abugharbieh, and Bristy last seen at a campus science building. A family friend reported them missing the next day.
Investigators interviewed Abugharbieh on Thursday, but he ended the interview. He is considered the only suspect. An autopsy on Limon is pending. Abugharbieh made an initial court appearance on Saturday and was ordered held without bond, with a hearing tentatively set for 28 April.
Abugharbieh had previously attended USF but was not enrolled at the time of his arrest. He had prior arrests for battery and burglary, and court records show two domestic violence petitions filed by a family member in 2023.
