April 29, 2026 — It has been a difficult time for the Bangladeshi community in Tampa and students at the University of South Florida (USF). The first funeral prayer (janazah) for Jamil Limon will be held on Thursday, April 30, at 2:00 PM following the Zuhr prayer at the
Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area, located at 7326 E Sligh Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33610. Members of the community have been invited to attend. Afterward, arrangements will be completed to repatriate his body to Bangladesh, where it is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka at 8:40 AM on May 4.
As for Nahida Sultana Brishti, no new confirmed information has emerged regarding her identity. On April 26, human remains were recovered from a waterway near Interstate 275 and 4th Street North in Pinellas County. Authorities from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the remains were found in the same area where Jamil’s body was
discovered, but they have not yet been formally identified. Police say no further details can be released at this time due to the ongoing investigation.
USF authorities have announced several memorial events in honor of the two students. On Friday, May 1, a candlelight vigil will be held at Crescent Hill on campus from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. On the same day, a moment of silence will be observed before a USF baseball game, and a tribute to the two students will be displayed on the video board. They will also be remembered during next week’s commencement ceremony.
Meanwhile, new details have emerged in the investigation. A person known to Hisham reportedly told investigators that Hisham often said Jamil had been “under a lot of pressure recently.” Investigators are examining whether such statements were attempts to create an alternative narrative prior to the crime—suggesting that Jamil may have left on his own or was mentally distressed. However, Jamil’s friends, classmates, and family have strongly rejected this claim, describing him as focused, hardworking, and deeply committed to his research. His work on using generative AI to analyze Florida’s shrinking wetlands was considered highly relevant and promising.
During a search of the apartment, investigators recovered a notebook with carbon copy forms from Jamil’s backpack, with two pages torn out. What those pages contained has not yet been disclosed. Authorities are investigating who removed the pages and why, as this may be a critical clue in the case.
Court documents have also revealed that location data from Hisham’s phone places him on the Howard Frankland Bridge at least six times between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM on April 17. Investigators believe these trips may have been used to dispose of the body or evidence. Additional findings—such as searches for ways to conceal a body, purchases of duct tape and trash bags, ordering a fake beard, and buying cleaning supplies—have led prosecutors to argue that the crime was premeditated and carried out step by step.
Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh is currently being held without bond. He faces charges including two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, destruction of physical evidence, unlawful transport of a body, and failure to report a death. In Florida, first-degree murder is a capital offense, though prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will seek the death penalty.
USF students have called for increased campus security and stronger protections for international students. A GoFundMe page has been launched in support of Jamil and Brishti’s families, reflecting solidarity from the community.
Jamil Limon will return to Dhaka on May 4—but not in the way he had dreamed. He had come to the United States with hopes of completing his PhD and returning home after achieving his goals. That dream has been shattered by a brutal act. His family now waits to receive him one last time.
Meanwhile, the uncertainty surrounding Brishti continues. Not only her family in Mirpur, Dhaka, but also grieving people across the country remain anxious and distressed, awaiting answers.
