Roommate Charged in Disappearance of USF Students
The roommate of one of two graduate students from the University of South Florida who vanished this week has been charged with murder.
Hisham Saleh Abugarbay was taken into custody on Friday after authorities discovered the body of 27-year-old Zamir Rimon. He now faces two counts of first-degree premeditated murder with a deadly weapon, as reported by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Initially, Abugarbay was charged with assault, false imprisonment, failure to register a death, and illegally disposing of a body.
Details surrounding this unsettling case remain vague, but police assert they have gathered enough evidence to indicate that Abugarbay killed both Rimon and his alleged girlfriend, 27-year-old Nahida Bristi.
Following the discovery of Rimon’s body, a dive team returned to Old Tampa Bay near the Howard Frankland Bridge to search for Bristi.
The cause of Rimon’s death is currently under investigation.
Authorities apprehended Abugarbay after he barricaded himself in his home in Tampa, prompting a SWAT team to respond.
The operation took place in Limon’s Lake Forest neighborhood, situated about a mile from the University of South Florida, where both students were enrolled.
The incident surfaced shortly after the couple was reported missing, with authorities expressing concerns for their safety, although specific details were not disclosed.
The standoff concluded approximately two hours later, at which point Abugarbay was taken into custody.
“This is a very disturbing incident that shook our community and affected many people who were hoping for a safe resolution,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister.
He added, “While the discovery of Zamir Limón’s body is heartbreaking, our detectives are working tirelessly to uncover the truth. We will continue to pursue every lead and use every available tool to hold those responsible accountable.”
Both Limon and Bristi, originally from Bangladesh, were last seen on April 16.
A friend reported Limon missing when attempts to contact him failed, and investigators noted that both of their cellphones were turned off.
Limon was a doctoral student focusing on geography, environmental science, and policy, while Bristi was studying chemical engineering. They had recently been discussing marriage.
