A former University of South Florida student faces two counts of first-degree murder after his roommate’s body was discovered on a Tampa bridge and the roommate’s girlfriend remains missing, marking a tragic end to a two-week search that gripped the campus community.

Former Student Arrested After SWAT Standoff

Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, was taken into custody Friday following a tense standoff at his family’s home just north of the USF campus. Police responded to a domestic violence call and safely evacuated his relatives before Abugharbieh barricaded himself inside. Crisis negotiators, a SWAT team, drone units, and a robot were deployed before he surrendered wearing only a blue towel. He now faces murder charges in the deaths of Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27-year-old doctoral students from Bangladesh.

Victims Were Graduate Students Considering Marriage

Limon and Bristy disappeared from campus on April 16 and were considering marriage, according to relatives. Limon, who studied geography and environmental science, was last seen at the off-campus apartment he shared with Abugharbieh. Bristy, a chemical engineering doctoral candidate, was spotted an hour later at a campus science building. Workers discovered Limon’s remains on the Howard Frankland bridge Friday morning. An autopsy will determine the exact cause of death. Bristy remains missing, and authorities continue searching for her.

Suspect Had Prior Arrests and Campus History

Abugharbieh attended USF from Spring 2021 through Spring 2023, pursuing a management degree before leaving without graduating. Court records reveal multiple prior arrests, including battery and burglary charges in 2023. He completed a first-time offender diversion program in 2024, resulting in discontinued charges. Two domestic violence petitions were filed against him by a family member in 2023, with a judge granting one injunction and denying the other.

Campus Community Demands Justice

The tragedy has devastated both the Tampa campus and Bristy’s alma mater in Bangladesh. University officials described her as a talented and promising student whose sudden passing deeply saddened everyone. Abugharbieh initially faced charges including unlawfully moving a dead body, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment, and battery before prosecutors upgraded the charges to two counts of premeditated murder with a weapon. He appeared in court Saturday and was ordered held without bond. Anyone with information about Bristy’s whereabouts should contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office immediately.