HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – The Lake Forest community at Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and Lake Forest Drive became the site of a tense standoff today, ending with the arrest of a suspect in connection with the disappearance of two USF doctoral students.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that while one body has been recovered and identified, the search for the second student remains active.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s officials announced that human remains discovered on the Howard Frankland Bridge earlier this morning have been positively identified as 27-year-old Zamil Limon. Detectives are still searching for the second student, Nahida S. Bristy, and are urging the community to report any potential sightings or tips immediately.
The investigation reached a turning point at approximately 9:00 a.m. today when deputies responded to a domestic violence call at a residence in the Lake Forest community. Investigators identified the home as the residence of a 23-year-old suspect, named only as Hisham, who was a roommate of Limon.
After deputies safely removed family members from the home, the suspect refused to come out for about 20 minutes. A SWAT team was activated and arrived at 10:36 a.m., eventually leading to the suspect surrendering peacefully.
Hisham is currently facing several charges, including domestic violence, simple battery, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, and the unlawful movement of a dead human body.
Detectives linked him to the case through investigative measures, though the specific cause and manner of death for Limon are pending autopsy results from Pinellas County.
During a press briefing, authorities noted that while the suspect initially spoke with investigators, he has since ended the interview and is being held at the criminal investigations division. At this stage, detectives believe he was working alone.
The USF Police Department expressed condolences to the families and the university community, emphasizing the extensive collaboration between the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Clearwater Police, and multiple specialized units.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Nahida S. Bristy is asked to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at 813-247-8200.
PREVIOUS REPORT: The entrance and exit to the Lake Forest community at the intersection of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and Lake Forest Drive is currently closed as detectives conduct an investigation tied to the disappearance of two USF doctoral students.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has officially elevated the status of 27-year-olds Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon to endangered.
While the search has spanned multiple locations across Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, the closure of the neighborhood entrance marks a significant development in the active investigation.
According to detectives, recent information led to the endangered classification. To protect the integrity of the case, officials are not releasing the specific details that prompted the status change or the nature of the police activity currently unfolding at the Bruce B. Downs intersection.
RELATED: Search Intensifies As Missing USF Doctoral Students Reclassified As Endangered
Both Limon and Bristy were last seen on April 16, 2026. Limon was last spotted at his home on Avalon Heights Blvd. at 9:00 a.m., and Bristy was seen at the USF Tampa campus NES Building an hour later. HCSO recently took the lead on both cases to streamline resources, with continued support from the USF Police Department.
A media staging area has been established at the Compass Self Storage parking lot, located at 14529 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Anyone with information that could help locate Bristy and Limon is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at 813-247-8200.
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