The investigation began April 17, when the University of South Florida Police Department was notified that Bristy was missing. Friends and colleagues reported she failed to show up for work, missed academic obligations and stopped responding to messages\u2014behavior authorities said was entirely out of character.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe never missed her thesis meetings. She never missed work,\u201d Chronister said. \u201cThat\u2019s what immediately told us something was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
The following day, April 18, a friend contacted authorities to report Limon missing under similarly concerning circumstances.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese were responsible, accountable students,\u201d Chronister said. \u201cWhen people like that suddenly disappear, we treat it as an emergency.\u201d<\/p>\n
Detectives soon focused on Limon\u2019s off campus apartment, where he lived with two roommates. Investigators noted that one roommate, later identified as Hisham Aburghabieh, was evasive and inconsistent in his answers, while the second roommate provided information and cooperated.<\/p>\n
See Related: USF double murder suspect denied bond as victim\u2019s remains found and death penalty looms<\/a><\/p>\n While canvassing the area, detectives searched a trash compactor at the apartment complex and found several personal items belonging to Limon, including his student identification, wallet, glasses and heavily blood-soaked clothing.<\/p>\n \u201cThat discovery changed everything,\u201d Chronister said. \u201cAt that moment, this was no longer just a missing persons case.\u201d<\/p>\n With a search warrant, investigators returned to the apartment and used forensic technology to locate a large pool of blood in the kitchen, a trail down the hallway and evidence inside Aburghabieh\u2019s bedroom indicating a body had been positioned on the floor. Officials said the amount of blood indicated the victim could not have survived the injuries.<\/p>\n Investigators also analyzed Aburghabieh\u2019s cell phone, which had been wiped clean. A deeper forensic examination recovered internet searches made days before the students disappeared.<\/p>\n \u201cHe searched topics like whether a knife can penetrate a skull, if a neighbor would hear a gunshot, and how to dispose of a body,\u201d Chronister said. \u201cThese searches happened before anyone was reported missing. This was planned.\u201d<\/p>\n Hisham Abugharbieh, charged with two counts of first\u2011degree premeditated murder in the deaths of two USF doctoral students, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff\u2019s Office. (HCSO) <\/p>\n Cell phone location data placed Aburghabieh in Pinellas County and on the Howard Frankland Bridge<\/a> in the days following the students\u2019 disappearance. On April 22, detectives searched along the northbound side of the bridge and located a large black trash bag containing Limon\u2019s remains.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was bound, stabbed multiple times and discarded,\u201d Chronister said. \u201cIt\u2019s horrific.\u201d<\/p>\n Two days later, on April 24<\/a>, recreational kayakers discovered another trash bag tangled in mangroves in Pinellas County. Due to advanced decomposition, investigators used DNA testing, dental records and clothing confirmation to positively identify the remains<\/a> as Bristy. Her family was notified the same day.<\/p>\n![\"{p}Hisham](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/24350782-5ce9-4d9c-9116-be3e96d6d48e-Screenshot20260428130739.png\"\/)
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