Human remains have been discovered in an area where police were searching for missing University of South Florida (USF) doctoral student Nahida Bristy, officials said.
The discovery comes as prosecutors have also revealed new details about the suspect’s internet searches.
Newsweek has broken down what we know so far.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said on Sunday that investigators had discovered human remains in waterways of Tampa Bay. The remains have not yet been identified, but the area where they were found is where divers had been searching for the body of Bristy, The Tampa Bay Times reported.
Bristy and her boyfriend Zamil Limon, both 27, went missing on April 16. Limon’s body was found on the Howard Frankland Bridge, which crosses Old Tampa Bay, on Friday.
Limon’s roommate, Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh, 26, was arrested on Saturday and has been charged with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder with a weapon.
The case has gripped the USF community and Tampa Bay region, with one student confirmed dead and another presumed dead, while investigators coordinate across two counties.
Missing USF Students: Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy
Limon, 27, a doctoral student in geography, environmental science and policy, was last seen about 9 a.m. April 16 at his Tampa residence, while Bristy, 27, a chemical engineering doctoral student who lived on campus, was last seen around 10 a.m. that day at the Natural and Environmental Sciences Building, according to university police.
The pair were a couple and from Bangladesh; they were reported missing to police on April 17 by a family friend who was unable to reach either student, police said.
Authorities located Limon’s remains Friday on or near the Howard Frankland Bridge during a multi-agency search, while dive teams continued to look for Bristy in Tampa Bay.
Search for Nahida Bristy’s Remains
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office marine and dive teams expanded searches around the Howard Frankland Bridge and waterfront areas in Pinellas County over the weekend, following the discovery of Limon’s remains.
On Sunday, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on X that officers, along with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, had “recovered human remains from the waterways in the area of Interstate 275 and 4th Street North.”
“Positive identification of the remains has not been determined at this time,” it added. The remains were taken to the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Hisham Abugharbieh Asked ChatGPT About Dumping Body
Prosecutors said in a motion to deny bond that Abugharbieh used ChatGPT on April 13 to ask, “What happens if a human has a put in a black garbage bag and thrown in a dumpster [sic],” and followed with, “How would they find out,” days before the students were last seen, court documents show.
The filing also alleged searches about changing a vehicle identification number and firearm possession on April 15, location data near the Howard Frankland Bridge just after midnight on April 17 and recovery of items linked to the victims from a dumpster, alongside blood evidence in the shared apartment.
An autopsy found Limon died by multiple sharp force injuries, and prosecutors said investigators believe Bristy may have been killed in a similar manner.
What We Know About Hisham Abugharbieh
Hillsborough County deputies identified Abugharbieh, 26, as Limon’s roommate during the missing-persons investigation, and arrested him Friday after responding to a domestic violence call at his family’s home just north of the USF campus, authorities said.
Investigators said officers were able to remove family members to safety before Abugharbieh barricaded himself inside the house and refused to come out. A SWAT team was called to the scene, and Abugharbieh later surrendered peacefully, officials said.
Deputies initially booked Abugharbieh on charges including unlawfully holding or moving a dead human body in unapproved conditions, failure to report a death to authorities, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment, and battery, before state prosecutors approved the murder counts.
“This is a deeply disturbing case that has shaken our community and impacted many who were hoping for a safe resolution,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said after Limon’s remains were found, praising detectives’ continued work and offering condolences to both families.
University officials said Abugharbieh previously attended USF from 2021 to 2023, but was not enrolled at the time of his arrest.
Abugharbieh has several prior arrests, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Court records show he was charged with battery and burglary of an unoccupied dwelling in September 2023 and with battery earlier in May, with both cases classified as misdemeanors. The records indicate he may have participated in a diversion program.
Hillsborough County court records also show that a family member filed two domestic violence petitions against Abugharbieh in 2023. A judge granted an injunction in one case and denied the other. Court records also list traffic violations involving Abugharbieh.
What Happens Next
The Pinellas County Medical Examiner will determine the identity of the remains recovered Sunday, and authorities will continue searches and forensic work as Abugharbieh awaits a court hearing while being held without bond.
Investigators will pursue additional leads across Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, and prosecutors will likely cite digital, forensic and location evidence at upcoming proceedings while families coordinate funeral rites and call for memorials.
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