In a major hearing held on Monday, May 18, at the Hillsborough County Court in Florida, State Attorney Suzie Lopez officially announced that the prosecution will seek the death penalty against Hisham Abugarbiya, who is accused of murdering two Bangladeshi PhD students at the University of South Florida, Jamil Limon and Nahida Bristi. The accused,
who did not appear in court in person, entered a written plea of not guilty through his attorney in response to seven counts issued by the grand jury.
The judge has set a tentative trial date for November 3, 2027. A case review hearing is scheduled for December 10, 2026. The accused remains in custody at Hillsborough County Jail without bail.
Behind the court proceedings lies a long and disturbing story of a brutal and premeditated crime. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister described the killings as “pure evil,” stating that the investigation revealed this was not a spontaneous act. The murder was
allegedly planned at least ten days.
On April 7, Abugarbiya ordered duct tape from Amazon. While it appeared to be a routine purchase, investigators later identified it as the first step in preparing for the crime. On April 11, he placed additional orders for fire starters, charcoal, heavy-duty trash bags, and lighter fluid. The question investigators asked was why someone would purchase all these items together—the answer, they say, was reflected in his phone activity.
On April 13, Abugarbiya reportedly searched ChatGPT, asking, “What happens if a person is placed inside a black trash bag and dumped in a dumpster?” The chatbot responded that it is dangerous. He also searched whether a skull can be penetrated with a knife and whether neighbors would hear gunshots.
One day before the killings, on April 15, a fake beard was delivered to him from Amazon, suggesting preparations to conceal identity and potentially evade capture after the crime.
On the morning of April 16 at 9:00 AM, Jamil Limon was last seen alive at the Avalon Heights apartment, where he lived with Abugarbiya. At 12:00 PM, Nahida Bristi was last seen on surveillance footage inside the USF Science Building campus. Both victims reportedly made their final phone calls to loved ones that same day.
Investigators believe both victims were killed later that night inside the apartment. At 10:24 PM, Abugarbiya’s phone was used to place a DoorDash order for trash bags, Lysol wipes, Febreze, Funyuns, and Irish Spring body wash. The delivery arrived at 10:57 PM. Authorities believe these items were used to clean and conceal evidence.
At around 11:00 PM, Abugarbiya was seen using a shared cart at Avalon Heights, transporting large cardboard boxes toward the trash compactor. Between April 16 and 17, at 12:26 AM, Abugarbiya allegedly searched ChatGPT: “Do police check vehicles at Hillsborough River State Park?” Around 1:30 AM, his phone was located on the Howard Frankland Bridge, where it remained for nearly three hours—near the area where Limon’s
body was later discovered.
On April 17, a friend of Nahida Bristi reported her missing after failing to reach her by phone. Police launched an investigation. The following day, investigators found her lunchbox, MacBook, and iPad left at her workplace.
On April 23, a search of the apartment trash compactor revealed Jamil Limon’s student ID, glasses, a blood-soaked torn shirt with visible stab marks, Bristi’s phone case, and a floor mat. A subsequent search warrant uncovered blood stains from the kitchen to Abugarbiya’s bedroom. Wet blood was also found on the bedroom carpet. Bristi’s student ID and
credit card were recovered from Limon’s room.
On April 24 at 6:00 AM, human remains wrapped in heavy trash bags were discovered on the northbound lane of the Howard Frankland Bridge. At 9:09 AM, the accused’s brother called 911, reporting domestic violence. A SWAT team responded and arrested Abugarbiya at the scene.
On May 1, a kayaker became entangled in a fishing line attached to a trash bag—inside which police discovered the decomposed body of Nahida Bristi in wetlands near the Howard Frankland Bridge in Pinellas County. Sheriff Chronister confirmed that both victims were deceased.
On May 18, a grand jury indicted Abugarbiya on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, two counts of unlawful disposal of human remains, two counts of failure to report death to the medical examiner, and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors have formally
announced they will seek the death penalty. The families of the victims in Bangladesh are being regularly updated on the case through Zoom calls.
Jamil Limon and Nahida Bristi, both 27-year-old talented Bangladeshi researchers, were pursuing studies in geography and environmental science, and scientific research respectively. They came to the United States with dreams of contributing to knowledge and science. That dream was cut short by a horrific act of violence. Their remains were
repatriated to Bangladesh and buried there. Their families continue to wait for justice.
