The brother of Hisham Abugharbieh, the suspect in the killings of two University of South Florida doctoral students, tells CBS News his family had warned police in the past about Abugharbieh’s erratic behavior.
Ahmad Abugharbie, 22, told CBS News his older brother was quick to anger and shouldn’t have been living in a shared space with roommates.
“I didn’t know he had a roommate,” Ahmad Abugharbie said. “He should’ve lived on his own or been homeless.”
Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, is facing two first-degree murder charges in connection with the deaths of his roommate, 27-year-old Zamil Limon, and Nahida Bristy, also 27. Limon’s body was found Friday and authorities found human remains Sunday while searching for Bristy, although those remains have not yet been identified. Both sets of remains were found on or near the Howard Frankland Bridge, which spans a portion of Tampa Bay, authorities said.
Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27, were last seen in the Tampa area on April 16, the University of South Florida Police Department said.
Ahmad Abugharbie said he was among the members of his family who called police to the family home after the elder Abugharbie suddenly showed up Friday morning.
“He was being very weird, so I called them to get him out,” Ahmad Abugharbieh said.
Hisham Abugharbieh had been estranged from the family since 2023, according to court records.
According to an arrest report, Hisham Abugharbie’s younger sister confronted him after she found him in the living room playing video games, wearing only a towel. Then he approached her.
“The defendant was attempting to kiss the victim,” the report states. “The victim was able to push away.”
Hisham Abugharbieh was taken into custody in dramatic fashion on Friday. He came out with his hands up, still wearing only a towel, and was confronted by Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies who took him into custody.
He is due in court on Tuesday and is being held without bond.
Hisham Abugharbieh with his hands raised prior to being taken into custody.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
Ahmad Abugharbieh had a message for the families of the victims:
“I just can’t stop thinking about all of them. … I’m just, I just feel so awful,” he said. “I’m really sorry about everything. I feel so, my entire family feels so much shame and guilt.”
Ahmad Abugharbieh added, “We tried to warn police in the past.”
The family had filed two protective orders against Hisham Abugharbieh, one in 2023 that was granted and another in 2025, which was denied, according to court records. Protective orders are a civil matter handled by the Clerk of Courts in Hillsborough County.
A judge denied the 2025 request because the battery criminal charges were not pursued.
The younger Abugharbieh said he declined to move forward with potential battery charges against his brother in 2023 because of financial constraints.
“I dropped them because I thought it was going to cost me a lot of money,” he said. “I regretted that choice immediately after.”
In the 2023 protective order, a copy of which was obtained by CBS News, Ahmad Abugharbieh wrote that his brother “… repeatedly punched me in the head, he ripped my shirt and made me bleed and gave me a few bruises on my face. I went outside to call the cops. He tried to escape by using the family minivan but came back after realizing it wouldn’t work.”
On another occasion, the younger brother alleges that Hisham Abugharbieh “tore up the entire living room after a short argument with my mom.”
He also alleged his brother “would start screaming in the middle of the night about how he is God and we should all bow down to him.”
A spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, which is representing Hisham Abugharbieh, told CBS News, “While we understand the attention surrounding the case, our ethical obligations and our client’s right to a fair trial require that we refrain from public comment. We remain focused on representing our client through the legal process.”
The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office would not comment specifically on Ahmad Abugharbieh’s comments.
In a Facebook post, they wrote that Hisham Abugharbieh “remains a danger to our community and should be held without bond until trial.”
“Our hearts are with both students’ families during this incredibly difficult time, and we are keeping them in our thoughts as they await answers,” State Attorney Suzy Lopez said.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office did not reply to CBS News’ request for comment.
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