Two USF Doctoral Students Murdered; Roommate Charged

Key figures are victims Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, doctoral candidates; their 26-year-old roommate Hisham Abugharbieh, arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder and related offenses; Sheriff Chad Chronister, leading the Hillsborough County investigation; and the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, representing Abugharbieh.

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• April 13: Abugharbieh asked ChatGPT, “What happens if a human has a put (sic) in a black garbage bag and thrown in a dumpster?” and followed with “How would they find out.”

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• April 16: The students were last seen on campus; Limon’s phone pinged near Clearwater Beach.

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• April 23: Limon’s body was found on the Howard Frankland Bridge; Abugharbieh was arrested after a domestic-violence call.

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• April 24-27: Human remains recovered from Tampa Bay; forensic testing linked blood on a gray shirt to Limon and on a floor mat to Bristy.

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Investigators retrieved a gray shirt, a black floor mat, Limon’s ID, credit cards and eyeglasses from a dumpster at the shared apartment. Blood on the shirt and mat matched DNA of Limon and Bristy. A bandaged left pinky finger on Abugharbieh and a receipt for trash-bag supplies were also noted. The prosecution cites “multiple sharp-force injuries” to Limon and describes the crimes as “brutal and violent.”

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Sheriff Chronister called the case “deeply disturbing” and noted community impact. The prosecution’s detention motion argues Abugharbieh’s release would pose a “probability of danger” to safety. The Public Defender’s Office affirmed its commitment to represent the suspect.

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Abugharbieh gave contradictory statements about his whereabouts on April 16, first denying contact with the couple and later claiming they asked him for a ride to Clearwater. Limon’s death is confirmed homicide; Bristy’s remains remain unconfirmed. No motive disclosed.

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• “This is a deeply disturbing case that has shaken our community and impacted many who were hoping for a safe resolution,” — Sheriff Chad Chronister

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• “The brutal and violent nature of the offense where the victims were killed by the defendant establishes a probability of danger his release poses to the safety of the community,” — Pre-trial detention motion (prosecution)

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• “What happens if a human has a put (sic) in a black garbage bag and thrown in a dumpster,” — Hisham Abugharbieh (ChatGPT query)

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• “We remain focused on representing our client through the legal process.” — Hillsborough County Public Defender

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After his Saturday appearance, a pre-trial detention hearing is pending as prosecutors seek to keep Abugharbieh jailed. The medical examiner will continue DNA testing to confirm Bristy’s remains. Prosecutors plan a murder trial; the public defender will continue representing Abugharbieh.

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