Court orders no bail for suspect in 2 Bangladeshi students killing in Florida

A Florida court has ordered that Hisham Abu Garbiyeh, 26, accused of brutally killing two Bangladeshi PhD students, be held without bail.

The order was issued on Tuesday (April 28) following a brief hearing at the Hillsborough County Court.

According to court documents, Hisham has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a weapon. Under Florida law, he could face the death penalty if convicted, although prosecutors have not yet confirmed whether they will seek capital punishment. Prosecutor Jennifer Spradley said the office would not comment further at this stage.

Investigators said the victims—Jamil Limon and Nahida Sultana Bristy, both students at the University of South Florida—had been missing since April 16. Hisham was Limon’s roommate at the apartment where he lived.

Family members said the two were planning to get married.

Using mobile phone location data and license plate tracking, police recovered Limon’s body on Friday morning near a bridge. His hands and feet were bound, and he had multiple stab wounds. On Sunday, another body was recovered from a nearby water body, believed to be Bristy, though it had not been formally identified as of the latest update.

Limon’s younger brother, Joayet Ahmed, told local media that his brother had expressed fear about his roommate. “He used to say the man was strange and kept to himself. He seemed somewhat psychopathic,” he said.

Authorities said a specialised SWAT team arrested Hisham in connection with the case. He is currently in custody and has been sent to jail pending further legal proceedings.