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Authorities in Florida are intensifying their efforts to locate two doctoral candidates who have been missing under puzzling circumstances for nearly a week.
The University of South Florida Police Department has reached out to the public for assistance in the search for 27-year-olds Zamil Limon and Nahida S. Bristy. Both individuals were last observed separately on April 16.
“There’s a palpable sense of concern among us,” stated Larry McKinnon, Public Safety Public Information Officer for USF, in a conversation with Fox 13. “Their disappearance is quite out of character, given they are committed graduate students.”
Limon, who is pursuing his doctorate in geography, environmental science, and policy, was last reported seen at his residence in Tampa around 9 a.m. on April 16, as detailed in a police report.
In contrast, Bristy was observed an hour later at a facility on the USF Tampa campus. She is a doctoral student in chemical engineering at the university.
Meanwhile, Bristy was spotted an hour later at a building on the USF Tampa campus. The doctoral student is studying chemical engineering at the college.
Police say neither has been seen again. A family friend reported the pair—who are both from Bangladesh—missing to the campus police around 4:50 p.m. April 17 after they were unable to reach either of them.
A police spokesman told Fox 13 the two are friends and authorities believe they are together.
Oxygen reached out to police for additional information, but did not receive an immediate response.
McKinnon told the news outlet that there are no signs of foul play or anything “suspicious in nature” at this point in the investigation.
“When we get to this point where we aren’t having success in locating them, then our next best source is the public,” he explained. “That’s where we are at.”
Speaking from Bangladesh, Limon’s brother Zubaer Ahmed told Fox 13 that the family is in “deep pain” from what he described as a “devastating situation.”
“He is a very responsible and punctual person, and that’s why the situation is so unpredictable and unusual to us,” he said, adding he found the disappearance “very suspicious.”
According to Ahmed, Limon and Bristy had been casually discussing plans to marry before they disappeared, but each had been more focused on their studies.
“They talked about having a future together,” he said, “but they are not that serious about it.”
Authorities are asking that anyone with information on the case, contact the University of South Florida Police Department at (813)-974-2628.