HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – The State Attorney’s Office in Tampa announced today that it will pursue the death penalty against Hisham Abugharbieh, the man accused of killing two graduate students from the University of South Florida.
A grand jury indicted Abugharbieh on Thursday on two counts of first-degree murder. Investigators say he stabbed Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon to death and then disposed of their bodies in trash bags.
The case began on April 17, when friends reported the two students missing. USF Police eventually questioned Abugharbieh, who was Limon’s roommate. According to investigators, physical evidence found in his apartment, along with digital footprints like cell phone data and search history, pointed to his involvement.
Following geolocation data from the suspect’s phone, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office focused their search on the Howard Frankland Bridge. They discovered Limon’s body in a bag along the side of the bridge. Two days later, kayakers fishing southwest of that location found Bristy’s remains in a similar bag.
Under Florida law, prosecutors have identified several aggravating factors they say justify a death sentence. They argue the killings were cold, calculated, and premeditated; that they were especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel; and that the defendant committed multiple murders in a single episode.
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“This tragic case has shaken our entire community and devastated two families who live halfway across the world,” State Attorney Suzy Lopez said. “These young students came to our community from Bangladesh to pursue their doctoral degrees and build brighter futures. Their lives were cut short by an unthinkable act of violence. We will ask the jury to sentence the defendant to death for his crimes.”
Lopez added that her office stands with the families in their grief and will not stop seeking justice for the victims.
Major Crimes Prosecutor Lindsey Hodges is set to lead the case, supported by death penalty specialist Scott Harmon, John Terry, and Jessica Couvertier. An arraignment date for Abugharbieh has not yet been scheduled.
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