Florida authorities looking for 2 USF doctoral students take person into custody

25 Apr 2026 • 1:40 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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A person was taken into custody Friday as part of the investigation into the disappearance of two Bangladeshi doctoral students at the University of South Florida, a sheriff’s office said.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office in Tampa said officers responded to a “barricaded subject connected to the missing USF students,” in a neighborhood about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from the campus.

No more information — such as the couple's whereabouts, and how the person taken into custody might be connected to them — was immediately released. It was not immediately clear what charges, if any, the person faces.

“The situation has been resolved,” the sheriff's office said.

Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy were last seen on April 16 at the campus in Tampa, Florida, according to a statement from the University of South Florida Police Department.

Limon, who was studying geography, environmental science and policy, was last seen at his home in a student apartment complex. Bristy, who was studying chemical engineering, was last seen an hour later at a campus science building.

A family friend contacted authorities last Friday after being unable to contact either one, USF police said. Friends and family described their lack of communication as out of character.

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