Florida investigators have uncovered unidentified remains in Tampa Bay during their search for a missing University of Florida doctoral candidate, according to statements released late Sunday.
The discovery follows the arrest of a 26-year-old man whose digital history allegedly reveals he consulted ChatGPT for instructions on how to dispose of a body, reports CBS News.
The remains were located in Pinellas County, specifically near the St. Petersburg side of the Howard Frankland Bridge in the vicinity of Interstate 275 and 4th Street North. While formal identification is pending, the site is in the same area where authorities have been searching for 27-year-old Nahida Bristy, who was reported missing on 16 April and is now presumed dead.
Hisham Abugharbieh, the roommate of another victim, 27-year-old Zamil Limon, was taken into custody on Saturday.
He faces two premeditated first-degree murder with a weapon and is currently being held without bond. Limon’s remains were found on Friday at the Howard Frankland Bridge, stored in multiple black utility bags and in an advanced state of decomposition.
Court documents have detailed a chilling series of queries the suspect allegedly made to ChatGPT. On 13 April, Abugharbieh is said to have asked the AI chatbot about the consequences of placing a person in a “black garbage bag and thrown in dumpster”. When the AI warned him of the danger, he reportedly enquired, “How would they find out”.
Further digital evidence suggests premeditation and attempts to evade detection. On 15 April, the day before the two students disappeared, the suspect allegedly asked the chatbot if a car’s VIN number could be altered and whether it was possible to keep a firearm at home without a licence.
In the early hours of 17 April, records show he enquired if vehicles were subject to checks at the Hillsborough River State Park. That same evening, his mobile phone was tracked to the bridge where Limon’s body was later found.
A forensic examination of the apartment shared by Limon and the suspect revealed a violent scene. Using an “enhancement agent,” detectives identified significant blood trails leading from the entrance through the kitchen and hallway.
In the suspect’s bedroom, investigators discovered two distinct blood patterns on the floor, both approximately the size and shape of a human body.
The suspect also bore physical marks of a struggle, with numerous lacerations found on his legs. An autopsy performed on Limon confirmed he died from “multiple sharp force injuries,” including several stab wounds and lacerations, which the medical examiner classified as a homicide.
Abugharbieh is currently represented by a public defence lawyer. While legal representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment, the suspect is scheduled for a court appearance on Tuesday.
