The next step in the case would be arraignment, which is set for 9 a.m. on May 18.<\/p>\n
TAMPA, Fla. \u2014 A grand jury handed down the indictment Thursday for the man accused of killing two University of South Florida (USF) doctoral students.<\/p>\n
Court records show Hisham Abugharbieh is now facing multiple charges, including:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Two counts of first-degree murder with a weapon (premeditated) \u2014 capital felonyTwo counts of unlawfully holding or moving a dead human body in unapproved conditions \u2014 third-degree felonyTwo counts of failure to report death to medical examiner or law enforcement with intent to conceal \u2014 third-degree felonyTampering with physical evidence relating to a capital felony \u2014 second-degree felony <\/p>\n
Zamil Limon and Nahida S. Bristy, both 27 years old, went missing on April 16.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Authorities say Zamil’s body was discovered in “heavy-duty utility trash bags” on the Howard Frankland Bridge on April 24. Nahida’s body was discovered in the water near the bridge just two days later.<\/p>\n
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister provided “gruesome” details about the premeditated double murder investigation last week,<\/a> including what evidence was found in Abugharbieh’s apartment and how investigators used it to find the students’ bodies.\u00a0<\/p>\n Thursday’s indictment reiterates that Abugharbieh killed both students with a premeditated design by “inflicting blunt force injuries and stabbing, slicing and cutting” them. It also alleges he carried, displayed, used, threatened to use or attempted to use a weapon, such as a knife or sharp object, during the murders.<\/p>\n Investigators are still working to determine a motive and looking into whether ChatGPT played a role in the crimes<\/a> after finding Abugharbieh’s search history, including inquiries like “can a knife penetrate a skull” and “can you bury a body in a trash bag.”\u00a0<\/p>\n “These searches were conducted days before our two victims went missing. This was calculated. This is what makes this so premeditated,” the sheriff said.<\/p>\n The next step in the case would be arraignment, which is set for 9 a.m. on May 18.<\/p>\n