“They disappeared just one hour apart.” Police say Zamil Limon was last seen at 9:00 a.m. leaving his Tampa apartment. At 10:00 a.m., Nahida Bristy was spotted near the Natural & Environmental Sciences Building. Investigators now believe the missing 60-minute window may hold the answer to everything.

By Grok News Desk Tampa, Florida — April 26, 2026

In the span of roughly 60 minutes on the morning of April 16, 2026, two promising University of South Florida (USF) doctoral students from Bangladesh vanished from their routines — an interval that investigators now view as potentially pivotal in unraveling a double-murder case that has gripped the Tampa Bay area and international communities.

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Disappearance of Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon – Crime Timeline

Zamil Ahamed Limon, 27, was last seen around 9:00 a.m. at the off-campus apartment on Avalon Heights Boulevard he shared with roommate Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh (also spelled Abugharbeih). Approximately one hour later, at about 10:00 a.m., Nahida Bristy, also 27 and studying chemical engineering, was observed near the Natural & Environmental Sciences (NES) Building on the USF Tampa campus, reportedly carrying her backpack.

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File:NESBuildingUSF.jpg – Wikimedia Commons

That narrow window — from Limon’s departure at the shared residence to Bristy’s sighting on campus — has become a focal point for Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) detectives. Phone records, digital forensics, witness statements, and physical evidence recovered in the days that followed suggest the events of that hour may explain how two ambitious scholars went from daily academic life to a tragedy that ended with Limon’s remains discovered on the Howard Frankland Bridge and Abugharbieh charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder.

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Howard Frankland Bridge – Wikipedia

The Critical 60-Minute Window

Limon, pursuing a doctorate in geography, environmental science, and policy with interests in AI applications, left the apartment around 9:00 a.m. His phone, which friends and family described as something he “never ignored,” rang three times that morning before switching abruptly to voicemail — a detail that stood out given his reliable communication habits with loved ones in Bangladesh.

Bristy, often remembered for her warm smile and dedication to her studies, was seen near the NES Building shortly after 10:00 a.m. She reportedly left personal items — including her laptop, iPad, and lunchbox — behind in a lab, suggesting she anticipated returning soon. Bristy did not reside at the shared apartment but was believed to be close to Limon, with some accounts describing them as a couple considering marriage.

wfin.com

USF doctoral students vanish; family says disappearance is ‘very suspicious’ and ‘unusual’ – Local News

Both maintained near-daily contact with family overseas, making the sudden silence highly unusual. A family friend filed missing person reports on April 17, prompting searches by USF Police and HCSO. Phones for both students went offline or were powered down shortly after their last known movements, hindering real-time tracking.

As investigators reconstructed the timeline — cross-referencing cell tower pings, surveillance footage, witness accounts, and items left behind — the 60-minute gap emerged as crucial. Did the pair meet during that hour? Were they together at or near the apartment? Or did something occur that pulled Bristy from her campus routine back toward the residence? Discrepancies, such as those noted in earlier witness sightings, added layers of complexity that detectives continue to examine.

From Missing Persons to Murder Charges

The case escalated on April 24 when human remains were located on or near the Howard Frankland Bridge, a major Interstate 275 span over Tampa Bay. By afternoon, authorities confirmed the identification as Limon. Dive teams expanded searches in the waters below for Bristy.

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The new Howard Frankland Bridge opens tomorrow. Here’s what to know

That same morning, deputies responded to a domestic violence call at a residence in the Lake Forest community in North Tampa, linked to Abugharbieh. Family members were safely removed, but he barricaded himself inside, refusing to exit for nearly 20 minutes. SWAT arrived around 10:36 a.m., and he eventually surrendered — reportedly stepping out wearing only a towel — without further incident.

Abugharbieh, a 26-year-old former USF student and the trio’s roommate (though Bristy lived separately), had been interviewed at least twice as a person of interest and reportedly stopped cooperating in one session. Evidence gathered during and after the arrest, combined with the bridge discovery, allowed detectives to link him directly to Limon’s remains. Authorities stated they believe he acted alone.

Initial charges included unlawfully moving or holding a dead human body, failure to report a death with intent to conceal, tampering with physical evidence, false imprisonment, battery, and domestic violence-related offenses. By April 25, prosecutors upgraded to two counts of first-degree premeditated murder with a weapon in the deaths of both Limon and Bristy. Abugharbieh is being held without bond at the Hillsborough County Falkenburg Road Jail. An autopsy on Limon was underway to determine cause and manner of death.

Lives of Promise Interrupted

Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy embodied the aspirations of many international graduate students at USF. Limon was diligent and connected, with family recalling affectionate calls — including one tied to Pahela Baishakh, the Bengali New Year, where he simply asked if his mother had eaten a traditional dish. Bristy was ambitious in chemical engineering, her presence on campus that morning consistent with rigorous lab work.

Their disappearances reverberated through the Bangladeshi diaspora in Florida and beyond. The community mobilized with alerts and pleas during the search phase. USF has offered counseling and support services while cooperating with law enforcement. The case has prompted broader discussions about safety for international students in off-campus housing and the emotional toll of distance from family support networks.

Abugharbieh had prior legal history, including battery-related incidents and involvement in a diversion program, though officials have not publicly detailed a motive and caution against speculation.

Ongoing Search and Lingering Questions

As of April 26, Nahida Bristy remains missing. HCSO marine and dive teams continue operations near the Howard Frankland Bridge, hoping for resolution. The 60-minute window — from Limon’s last sighting at the apartment to Bristy’s on campus — is seen as holding potential answers about movements, interactions, or events that may have unfolded in the shared living space or en route.

Digital evidence, including phone metadata and any surveillance from the apartment complex or campus, alongside forensic links from the bridge, forms the core of the investigation. The sudden voicemail shift in Limon’s calls, Bristy’s left-behind items, and timeline inconsistencies all contribute to a mosaic detectives are assembling.

The Howard Frankland Bridge, a daily lifeline for commuters between Tampa and St. Petersburg, now carries an added layer of somber significance. For the families in Bangladesh, the pain is compounded by distance and the uncertainty surrounding Bristy.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at (813) 247-8200 or USF Police. Tips remain critical, particularly those that could illuminate the events of that April 16 morning or aid in locating Bristy.

This tragedy — two bright futures interrupted within a single hour — underscores the fragility of routines and the power of digital and physical evidence in modern investigations. As forensic work, interviews, and searches proceed, the answers to what happened in that missing 60 minutes may bring justice and some measure of closure.

This article draws from official HCSO statements, press conferences, and reporting from multiple outlets. Details such as full autopsy results, complete forensics, and motive remain under active investigation and subject to update. Charges are allegations; Abugharbieh is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.