Second body found in the search for 2 missing USF students, officials say

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WWSB/Gray News) — A body has been found in the search for the second missing doctoral student from the University of South Florida (USF).

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said searchers found human remains Sunday in the water near where the body of another USF student was found days earlier.

Searchers found the body of Zamil Limon, 27, on Friday. They have continued to look for his girlfriend, Nahida Bristy, 27.

Officials have not identified the second body as Bristy. The remains have been taken to the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Limon’s roommate, Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, was arrested Friday, the same day Limon’s body was found. He was taken into custody after a 20-minute standoff at his family’s home.

Limon and Bristy were doctoral students at USF. Limon was studying geography, environmental science and policy, and Bristy was studying chemical engineering.

They were last seen on April 16. Limon was last seen at the off-campus apartment complex where he lived with Abugharbieh. Bristy was last seen an hour later at a science building on campus.

Abugharbieh had been a student at USF but was not currently enrolled.

He was initially charged with battery, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, failure to report a death to law enforcement or the medical examiner, and unlawfully holding or moving a dead human body in an unapproved condition.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office announced Saturday that Abugharbieh is also charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a weapon (premeditated).

According to the sheriff’s office, evidence was presented to the state attorney’s office, leading to the additional charges.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer said the investigation remains ongoing.