US prosecutors have disclosed fresh details in the killing of a Bangladeshi PhD student in Florida, revealing a disturbing timeline of events linked to the death of Zamil Limon and the disappearance of his girlfriend Nahida Bristy.
According to court documents filed in Hillsborough County and released over the weekend, 27-year-old Limon, a PhD student at University of South Florida from Bangladesh, was found dead on a bridge in the Tampa Bay area with multiple stab wounds. Medical reports cited in the filing confirmed that he died from several sharp force injuries, including a deep wound that penetrated his liver.
Prosecutors say Limon’s roommate Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, has been charged in connection with the case. He also faces allegations related to the disappearance of Nahida Bristy, 27, who remains untraced and is feared dead. Authorities believe she may have been disposed of in a similar manner, based on forensic indicators and blood evidence recovered from the shared apartment.
In their detention motion, prosecutors described the attack as “brutal and violent” and argued that releasing the suspect would pose a serious threat to public safety. They urged the court to keep him in custody until trial, saying no conditions of release would be sufficient to mitigate the risk.
Investigators have also presented a timeline placing Abugharbieh’s vehicle near Clearwater Beach on the night of the incident, close to where Limon’s phone last signalled activity. The suspect initially denied being in the area but later changed his statement when confronted with digital evidence.
Authorities further noted suspicious items recovered from the apartment, including cleaning supplies and trash bags purchased on the day the victims were last seen. Officials also observed a bandaged finger on the suspect during questioning, which he claimed was caused by a kitchen accident.
Abugharbieh was arrested following an unrelated domestic violence call and has since been charged with first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, unlawful disposal of a body, and other related offences. He is due to appear in court for a pretrial detention hearing, where prosecutors will seek to keep him in jail pending trial.
Investigators have meanwhile recovered human remains from waters near the bridge, though identification is still pending as the search for Bristy continues.
