Friends of USF victims remember them as family away from home, say they're 'shocked' by killings

Key Points:

• Friends and fellow students of University of South Florida doctoral students Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon, both from Bangladesh, expressed shock and grief over their recent murders, describing them as family away from home.
• Hisham Abugharbieh, Limon’s roommate and a former USF student, was charged with first-degree murder and other related offenses after Limon's remains and additional unidentified remains were found.
• The Bangladeshi student community at USF has united in mourning, with groups like the Bangladesh Student Association and Muslim Student Association seeking to honor the victims and support their families, including ensuring proper Islamic rites for Limon’s remains.
• Abugharbieh was ordered held without bond pending trial, and Hillsborough County State Attorney Susan Lopez stated the case will proceed before a grand jury, with a decision on pursuing the death penalty to follow.
• Friends and community members expressed hope for justice through the legal system, emphasizing the deep impact of the tragedy on the university’s close-knit Bangladeshi student community.