Roommate Charged With Murder In Deaths Of Two Florida University Students

A erstwhile University of South Florida student has been charged pinch sidesplitting his roommate and nan roommate’s girlfriend, some doctoral students from Bangladesh who vanished earlier this month, authorities said Saturday.

Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, is facing 2 counts of premeditated execution successful nan first grade pinch a limb successful nan deaths of USF students Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, according to nan Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. He made an first tribunal quality Saturday successful Tampa, wherever he was ordered held without bond. A proceeding is group for Tuesday.

Limon’s remains were recovered connected nan Howard Frankland Bridge connecting Tampa and St. Petersburg connected Friday morning, but Bristy is still missing, Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer said Friday.

Abugharbieh, a native-born U.S. citizen, was taken into custody connected Friday astatine his family’s location connected preliminary charges that included unlawfully moving a dormant body, nonaccomplishment to study a death, tampering pinch evidence, mendacious imprisonment and battery. Online tribunal records do not database an lawyer for him. Messages were sent via email and telephone to nan nationalist defender’s agency successful Hillsborough County.

Officers said they encountered Abugharbieh arsenic they responded to a study of home unit astatine his family’s home, conscionable northbound of nan campus, and were capable to move his relatives to information earlier he barricaded himself inside. A SWAT squad responded — on pinch a drone, a robot and situation negotiators — earlier Abugharbieh came retired pinch his hands up, apparently wearing thing but a bluish towel.

Limon and Bristy, some 27, were considering getting married, a comparative said. They vanished from field connected April 16. Limon was past seen astatine his location successful an off-campus flat analyzable wherever he lived pinch Abugharbieh. Bristy, who lived connected campus, was past seen an hr later astatine a field subject building.

An autopsy is being done connected nan remains to find nan mode and origin of Limon’s death, and those results were expected Saturday, Maurer said Friday.

Abugharbieh had been a USF student but was not presently enrolled. University records showed he had attended nan schoolhouse from outpouring 2021 done outpouring 2023 and had pursued a bachelor’s grade successful management, a assemblage spokesperson said.

Limon was studying geography, biology subject and policy, and Bristy was studying chemic engineering. She was a postgraduate of Noakhali Science and Technology University. The school, which spelled her past sanction arsenic Brishti, said successful a connection Saturday that she was a PhD campaigner and described her arsenic a talented and promising student.

“Her abrupt passing has profoundly saddened each of us,” Vice Chancellor Mohammad Ismail said. “The assemblage family pays heavy respect to her memory. At nan aforesaid time, we request reward for those progressive successful her decease and compensation for nan victim’s family.”

The hunt for Bristy continues. Anyone pinch accusation regarding her disappearance is asked to interaction nan Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Abugharbieh had respective erstwhile arrests, nan Sheriff’s Office said. He was charged successful September 2023 pinch artillery and burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and successful May 2023 pinch battery, some classified successful tribunal records arsenic misdemeanors.

Court records show Abugharbieh entered into a diversion programme for first-time offenders charged pinch misdemeanors. He completed nan programme successful 2024 and nan charges were discontinued. A telephone telephone to his lawyer successful that lawsuit was not instantly returned.

Hillsborough County tribunal records besides showed 2 home unit petitions revenge by a family personnel successful 2023. A judge granted an injunction successful 1 lawsuit and denied petition successful nan other. He besides was accused of postulation violations.

Ramer writes for nan Associated Press and reported from Concord, N.H.