Person Detained in Connection with Missing USF Doctoral Students

Authorities have detained an individual linked to the disappearance of two University of South Florida doctoral students, Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27, who were last seen on April 16. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reported that the person was taken into custody following a barricade situation in a neighborhood near the USF Tampa campus. The individual's identity and their connection to the missing students have not been disclosed.

Limon, pursuing a degree in geography, environmental science, and policy, was last seen at his residence around 9 a.m. on April 16. Bristy, studying chemical engineering, was last seen approximately an hour later at a campus science building. A family friend reported them missing after being unable to contact either student, which friends and family described as highly unusual.

The sheriff's office has elevated the students' status to endangered, citing new information that led detectives to consider them at risk. Specific details about this information have not been released to protect the integrity of the investigation.

Authorities are urging anyone with information about the whereabouts of Limon and Bristy to contact the University of South Florida Police Department at 813-974-2628.