The man accused of killing two doctoral students of the University of South Florida allegedly used ChatGPT to search for ways to dispose of a body, according to a court filing, reports NBC News.
Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, has been charged with first-degree murder over the deaths of Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27. Limon, whose body was found on Friday, had been Abugharbieh’s roommate. Abugharbieh is a former student of the university.
According to a motion filed on Saturday seeking to keep the accused in custody pending trial, prosecutors said he asked the AI chatbot on April 13—three days before the victims were last seen alive—about placing a person in a garbage bag and disposing of the body in a dumpster.
Prosecutors said the suspect wrote: "What happens if a human is put in a black garbage bag and thrown in a dumpster?" When the chatbot responded that the situation sounded dangerous, he reportedly followed up with another query: "How would they find out?"
The organization behind ChatGPT, OpenAI, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Evidence recovered
According to the filing, a roommate told investigators that he saw Abugharbieh moving cardboard boxes from his room to a compactor dumpster at their apartment complex on April 17.
A subsequent search of the dumpster recovered items belonging to Limon, including a student ID and credit cards. DNA testing on a grey T-shirt found there indicated the genetic material likely matched Limon, while testing on a kitchen mat reportedly matched Bristy.
Investigators said Limon’s remains were later found in a heavy-duty trash bag near the Howard Frankland Bridge. An autopsy cited in the filing said his death was caused by multiple sharp force injuries.
Authorities said there is no evidence suggesting Bristy is still alive and believe her body was also disposed of. Human remains were recovered during a search on Sunday by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, though identification is pending.
Timeline and investigation
Prosecutors said Abugharbieh initially told investigators he had dropped the victims off in Clearwater on April 16, the day they were last seen. However, he later changed his statement after being confronted with location data placing his car in the same area as Limon’s phone.
Investigators also alleged that the suspect purchased trash bags, disinfectant wipes and air freshener on the night of April 16, and that blood was later found inside his apartment. He is also accused of disposing of items belonging to Bristy, including a mobile phone cover.
Authorities said Abugharbieh had injuries, including a cut on his finger and lacerations on his legs. He claimed the finger injury occurred while cutting onions.
Location data obtained through a search warrant showed that he stopped along the Howard Frankland Bridge on April 17, where Limon’s body was later recovered.
Arrest and charges
Abugharbieh was arrested on Friday following a brief standoff, authorities said. In addition to murder, he faces multiple charges, including failure to report a death, improper storage of human remains and tampering with evidence.
He is currently being held without bond at the Falkenburg Road Jail, according to court records. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Tuesday.
Victims and response
Family members told NBC News that Limon and Bristy, both from Bangladesh, had previously been in a relationship.
In a joint statement, their families requested that the bodies be handled in accordance with Islamic funeral rites and called for a memorial in their names.
In a separate statement, the University of South Florida said it was mourning the loss of the two students and reaffirmed its commitment to student safety and wellbeing.