A man named Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh is facing charges after his roommate, Zamil Limon, a University of South Florida doctoral student, was found dead after being reported missing. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has shared a video of the moment Abugharbieh was arrested.
Another student, Nahida S. Bristy, also went missing along with Limon. The 27-year-olds from Bangladesh were last seen about a week ago.
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Limon’s body was found Friday morning on the Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa, Florida. While there has been no official confirmation about Bristy’s whereabouts, her brother, Zahid Hasan Pranto, said in a Facebook post, “My sister is no longer with us”.
Pranto told NBC News the two students had a romantic relationship in the past. However, they were not actively dating.
Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh’s arrest video
Abugharbieh was arrested on Friday, April 24, after a domestic violence incident at the residence, law enforcement said, according to NBC News. The video shared by police on Facebook shows Abugharbieh coming out of a house, bare-chested, his hands raised, before armed police appear to order him to get in a vehicle.
“Detectives are actively following investigative leads in the area surrounding the Howard Frankland Bridge, where the remains of Limon were located,” the post reads.
Around 9 am local time on Friday, the sheriff’s office received a domestic violence call at the home of the suspect, Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer said.
When deputies arrived, they demanded that the suspect come out. Family members at home managed to leave safely. A SWAT team had to be called to the scene 20 minutes later after the suspect refused.
The SWAT team also asked the suspect to come out. After he did, he was taken into custody.
“This is a deeply disturbing case that has shaken our community and impacted many who were hoping for a safe resolution,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “While the discovery of Zamil Limon’s remains is heartbreaking, I want the public to know that our detectives worked and are working tirelessly and relentlessly to uncover the truth. We will continue to follow every fact, pursue every lead, and use every tool available to hold those responsible fully accountable. Our thoughts remain with the families of Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy during this time.”
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Abugharbieh, who was not a current USF student, had been enrolled from spring 2021 through spring 2023, the school said. He was pursuing a bachelor of science in management.
Abugharbieh is facing charges of domestic violence, simple battery, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, failure to report a death and unlawfully holding or moving a dead body, Maurer said.
