Tampa, Florida — A developing and deeply concerning case is unfolding at the University of South Florida (USF), where authorities have confirmed that the body of one of two missing Bangladeshi PhD students has been recovered, while the second student remains unaccounted for.
The deceased student has been identified as Jamil Limon (27). The second student, Nahida Bristy (27), is still missing, and search efforts are ongoing. Both students are originally from Bangladesh, and their families have been notified.
According to law enforcement sources, Limon’s roommate has been taken into custody in connection with the investigation. Police said they responded to a location after a phone tip led them to a suspicious residence. When officers attempted to persuade the individual to surrender, he reportedly refused, prompting a SWAT-assisted operation that resulted in his arrest. Authorities confirmed that the suspect is not a USF student and is currently being interrogated.
Officials stated that Limon and Bristy were last seen on April 16. Limon was last observed at approximately 9:00 a.m. at his residence in Avalon Heights in Tampa, while Bristy was last seen around 10:00 a.m. inside the Natural and Environmental Sciences Building on the USF campus.
Limon was pursuing a PhD in Geography, Environmental Science, and Policy, while Bristy was conducting doctoral research in Chemical Engineering. Investigators believe the two disappearances may be linked, and that the students may have been together prior to going missing.
US authorities confirmed that at 10:36 a.m. local time, SWAT units arrived at the scene, and by 11:55 a.m., the suspect was taken into custody. Police emphasized that the investigation is still active and that more details will be released after questioning is completed.
The University of South Florida administration has informed the Bangladeshi Consulate in Miami about the incident. The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, D.C., along with the State Department, FBI, the Miami Consulate, university officials, and local law enforcement, are maintaining continuous coordination.
Officials and the Bangladeshi community are expressing growing concern over the fate of Nahida Bristy as the search continues. U.S. media outlets are closely following the case, and investigators are working to determine the motive behind the incident and any possible connections between the suspect and the victims.
Authorities say further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
