Suspect in USF Student Murders Allegedly Used ChatGPT to Research Disposing a Body
Court documents in the murders of two University of South Florida doctoral students reveal a disturbing paper trail of what prosecutors say was premeditated planning — including a series of questions the suspect allegedly asked ChatGPT about disposing of a body in the days before the victims disappeared.
Who the Victims Were
Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy were doctoral students at USF in Tampa, both originally from Bangladesh. They were last seen April 16, 2026. Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, a former USF student who shared an apartment with Limon at the Avalon Heights complex near campus, was arrested Friday after a brief standoff at his parents' home in Lutz. He is charged with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder with a weapon.
Limon's body was found inside heavy-duty black trash bags that had been dumped near the Howard Frankland Bridge. Investigators believe he was stabbed to death. On Sunday, a second body was discovered in water near Interstate 275 in North St. Petersburg. It has not been formally identified, but detectives say they do not believe Bristy is still alive.
What Abugharbieh Allegedly Asked ChatGPT
According to court documents, Abugharbieh made a series of queries to the AI chatbot in the days before the victims vanished. On April 13, he allegedly asked: "What happens if a human is put in a black garbage bag and thrown in a dumpster?" ChatGPT replied that it "sounds dangerous." He then asked, "How would they find out."
On April 15, the day before the students were last seen, he allegedly asked whether a VIN number on a car could be changed, whether a person could keep a gun at home without a license, and whether neighbors could hear gunfire. Just after midnight on April 17, he allegedly asked whether cars are checked at Hillsborough River State Park. Investigators say he also queried whether a person could survive a gunshot to the head.
Physical Evidence at the Scene
Inside the Avalon Heights apartment, investigators say they found blood from both Limon and Bristy, along with two blood patterns on the bedroom floor described as "human-sized." A box of heavy-duty bags and lighter fluid were found under Abugharbieh's bed. Detectives also recovered personal belongings from a trash compactor, including Limon's wallet, glasses, and student ID, Bristy's phone case, and blood-soaked clothing. The suspect had cuts and lacerations on his body and gave inconsistent explanations for how he got them.
Court documents also note that in the days before the students disappeared, Abugharbieh purchased trash bags, duct tape, cleaning supplies, and air freshener. When confronted with electronic evidence, he changed his story multiple times.
Families and Broader Questions
Investigators have not announced a motive. Abugharbieh has prior charges for battery and domestic violence, and his mother told detectives he has struggled with anger. In a statement, the victims' families called on USF to take legal action against Avalon Heights, questioning why Abugharbieh was assigned as a roommate without proper background checks and why complaints prior to the incident were not acted upon. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the state's criminal investigation into OpenAI is being expanded to include the USF murders in light of the ChatGPT queries.
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