A man named Hisham Saleh Abugarbih has been arrested in the disappearance and death of a University of South Florida (USF) doctoral student, a case that started as a missing persons report has turned into a much larger criminal investigation.Abugharbieh, 26, was taken into custody in Tampa after police responded to a domestic violence call at a residence belonging to him. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, he initially barricaded himself inside the home before surrendering to the SWAT team after a standoff.Authorities say Abugharbih was the roommate of Jamil Limon, one of two students who went missing earlier this month, along with Nahida Bristy, both 27 and originally from Bangladesh. Limon’s remains were later found on the Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa Bay, while Bristy remains missing.Law enforcement officials said Abugarbih has been charged with preliminary counts including domestic violence, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, failure to report death and unlawfully transporting or handling a dead body.Investigators said the case began to unfold when a family friend reported two students missing when they could not be contacted. Limon and Bristy were last seen on April 16 at separate locations near the USF campus.Deputies later focused on Abugharbieh after links to the missing students were discovered. Police said he was not a USF student, but was living with Limon in an apartment off campus.Authorities have not confirmed the motive. He also said the investigation expanded into multiple jurisdictions as detectives searched areas around Tampa and surrounding counties. Law enforcement agencies described the case as complex and ongoing.During the arrest operation, police said they had to activate special units, including SWAT, after Abugharbieh refused initial orders to leave the house. He was eventually taken into custody.The case is still active, with many charges still preliminary and further forensic results expected as authorities continue to piece together what happened in the days following the students’ disappearance.
