Law enforcement authorities confirmed Friday that a body recovered from a major bridge connecting St. Petersburg and Tampa is that of Zamil Limon, one of two University of South Florida doctoral students who had been reported missing since mid-April.
Deshi Tribune
· Published: April 25, 2026 — 3:45 PM EDT
· ● DEVELOPING
HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE · TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA
Illustration: The bridge spanning St. Petersburg and Tampa where authorities recovered the remains. | GlobalNews24 Graphics
Authorities in Hillsborough County, Florida, confirmed on Friday that human remains recovered from a bridge linking St. Petersburg to Tampa belong to Zamil Limon, 27, a doctoral student at the University of South Florida — bringing a tragic end to a days-long search for two missing graduate researchers.
The identification was announced by Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office during a press statement. Maurer confirmed that Limon’s remains were found on the bridge on Friday morning, weeks after he was last seen in the vicinity of the USF campus on April 16.
“The identification of the remains as those of Zamil Limon has been confirmed by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.”
— CHIEF DEPUTY JOSEPH MAURER, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Limon and his fellow doctoral student, Nahida Bristy, both 27, were separately reported missing by the University of South Florida’s campus police. University authorities stated that Limon was last seen near the USF campus on April 16, while Bristy was last observed on or at the university campus itself on the same date. Bristy’s whereabouts remain unknown at this time.
⚠ CUSTODY UPDATE
Hisham Abugharbieh, identified as Limon’s former roommate, has been taken into custody by law enforcement. Authorities were initially summoned to his residence Friday morning in response to a reported domestic violence incident. His precise connection to the disappearances is under active investigation.
The University of South Florida, located in Tampa, Florida, is a major public research institution. Both Limon and Bristy were doctoral candidates — a status that reflects advanced-level academic and research engagement. Details regarding their specific fields of study or research have not yet been officially disclosed.
This case has drawn considerable attention from the Bangladeshi-American community across the United States, as both students are believed to be of Bangladeshi origin. Community organisations have urged local and federal authorities to treat the investigation with the highest priority.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the investigation remains open and ongoing. Authorities have not yet issued formal charges or disclosed the cause of death pending further forensic examination. The second missing student, Nahida Bristy, has not been located as of the time of publication.
This is a developing story. GlobalNews24 will provide updates as further information is confirmed by law enforcement officials.
