Brutal Roommate Murder: Death Penalty Looms

Courthouse facade with media crews setting up outside.

Prosecutors seek the death penalty for a U.S. citizen roommate accused of brutally stabbing two legal immigrant doctoral students from Bangladesh in a premeditated double murder.[2]

Story Snapshot

Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh, 26, faces two counts of first-degree premeditated murder after victims Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy vanished from University of South Florida on April 16, 2026.[1][2]
Blood trails, victim belongings in a dumpster, and bodies in black trash bags found near Tampa bridges provide damning physical evidence against Abugharbieh.[2]
Pre-murder purchases of trash bags, duct tape, and ChatGPT queries on knife penetration and body disposal in dumpsters signal cold calculation.[2]
Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office filed notice for death penalty, citing heinous, premeditated acts; Abugharbieh held without bond.[1][2]

Gruesome Discovery of Victims

A kayaker discovered Zamil Limon’s body on April 24, 2026, on the Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa, Florida. The 27-year-old doctoral student in geography, environmental science, and policy suffered multiple stab wounds. His hands and ankles were bound, and the remains were stuffed in a black trash bag.[2][3] Two days later, Nahida Bristy’s body surfaced in nearby mangroves. Authorities identified her through DNA, dental records, and clothing. Both victims, also 27, pursued doctoral studies at University of South Florida.[2]

Limon’s last sighting occurred at 9:00 a.m. on April 16 at his off-campus apartment. Bristy was seen at 10:00 a.m. in a campus science building. A family friend alerted University of South Florida police department the next day, prompting missing persons reports entered into state and national databases.[3]

Overwhelming Forensic Evidence in Apartment

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office investigators accessed the Avalon Heights apartment on April 17. The third roommate reported Abugharbieh moving cardboard boxes to the trash compactor overnight on April 16. Detectives recovered Limon’s wallet, campus ID, credit card, eyeglasses, and bloodied clothes there.[2] A search warrant revealed blood residue trailing from the kitchen to Abugharbieh’s bedroom. Bluestar technology detected a human body outline on his carpet, with blood matching both victims.[1][2]

Bristy’s campus ID and credit cards appeared in Limon’s locked bedroom. Cellphone location and license plate reader data placed Abugharbieh’s car and Limon’s phone together near the Courtney Campbell Causeway, Clearwater Beach, and Howard Frankland Bridge on April 16.[2] Abugharbieh showed lacerations on his left pinky and tricep, claimed from cutting onions but consistent with defensive wounds. His mother contradicted the story.[2]

Premeditation Through Purchases and Searches

Amazon and DoorDash records showed Abugharbieh bought duct tape on April 7, heavy-duty black trash bags on April 11, Lysol wipes, fire starter, lighter fluid, and a fake beard on April 15. A CVS receipt from April 16 included more garbage bags, Lysol, and deodorant—items matching the disposal method.[2] Phone forensics uncovered ChatGPT queries days prior: “can a knife penetrate a skull?” and “What happens if a human has a put in a black garbage bag and thrown in a dumpster?” He also searched gun laws and vehicle identification number alteration.[2]

Zamil Limon and Nadhia Bristy, who were both part of USF’s doctoral program, will receive posthumous degrees during Friday’s doctoral commencement ceremony.

Limon's roommate, Hisham Abugharbieh, remains held without bond on first-degree murder charges.

The latest: @BN9 pic.twitter.com/yZYI5QiD89

— Angie Angers (@angie_angers) May 7, 2026

Abugharbieh’s history includes 2023 domestic violence charges where he punched his brother and kicked his mother, declaring “I created my brother. I am his god.” A restraining order followed, plus an assault on a maintenance worker.[2] He initially denied the victims entered his vehicle but later admitted driving them to Clearwater.[2]

Death Penalty Pursuit and Case Strength

A grand jury indicted Abugharbieh on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder with a weapon, plus unlawful handling of bodies, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment, battery, and failure to report a death.[3] The Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office seeks the death penalty, describing the acts as “cold, calculated, and premeditated… especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel.”[1][2] A Tampa judge ordered him held without bond after his April 25 court appearance.[1]

While no murder weapon has surfaced and motive remains murky—possibly tied to a roommate dispute—the evidence forms a tight circumstantial web.[2] This case underscores risks in off-campus housing for international students, aligning with Florida patterns of acquaintance violence.[1] Families demand justice as the investigation continues.[2]