SouthernWorldwide.com – The recent brutal killings of University of South Florida graduate students, reportedly involving planning with ChatGPT, highlight a disturbing trend of individuals using artificial intelligence tools for criminal research.
Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, the roommate of one of the victims, Zamil Limon, has been arrested and charged with two counts of premeditated murder. Limon’s body was discovered on the Howard Frankland Bridge in St. Petersburg.
While human remains found on Monday are still awaiting official identification, they are believed to be those of the other victim, Nahida Bristy. Bristy’s family has been informed by police that she is also presumed dead.
Court documents released on Sunday revealed that Abugharbieh allegedly utilized ChatGPT extensively in the days leading up to the disappearances and murders. Among the queries attributed to him were questions concerning the disposal of a body.
Specifically, on April 13, Abugharbieh allegedly asked the AI chatbot about the consequences of placing a body in a black garbage bag and discarding it in a dumpster. ChatGPT reportedly responded that such an action sounded dangerous, leading Abugharbieh to then inquire about how authorities might detect such an act.
Further alleged interactions with ChatGPT occurred on April 15, the day before the doctoral students went missing. Abugharbieh reportedly questioned whether a car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) could be altered and if a license was required to keep a gun at home. On the same night his phone was located near where Limon’s body was found, Abugharbieh allegedly asked ChatGPT if cars are inspected at Hillsborough River state park.
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, issued a statement expressing their concern over the crime and their commitment to assisting law enforcement. “This is a terrible crime, and our thoughts are with everyone affected,” a spokesperson told CBS News. “We’re looking into these reports and will do whatever we can to support law enforcement in their investigation.”
Abugharbieh is currently being held without bond following his initial court appearance on Tuesday, and he has not yet entered a plea.
Florida Investigates ChatGPT’s Role in Criminal Activity
The unfolding events have prompted Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier to announce a criminal investigation into OpenAI. This investigation follows a review of conversation logs between ChatGPT and a Florida State University student who was involved in a campus shooting in April 2025.
The FSU shooting resulted in two fatalities and several injuries. Uthmeier stated at a news conference on April 21 that if the AI had been a person, charges of murder would have been filed, citing the “significant advice” the tool allegedly provided to the suspect, Phoenix Ikner.
OpenAI confirmed that it had identified an account potentially linked to Ikner and shared this information with law enforcement. However, the company maintained that ChatGPT “did not encourage or promote illegal or harmful activity” and that its responses were based on publicly available internet information.
“Last year’s mass shooting at Florida State University was a tragedy, but ChatGPT is not responsible for this terrible crime,” OpenAI stated.
Dr. Jill Schiefelbein, an AI strategist and professor at the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business, suggested that a depoliticized investigation could lead to clearer guidelines on how and when technology platforms should report users who violate their terms of service.
“I wouldn’t blame the technology any more than I would blame a vehicle that gets into an accident by a human driver,” she told CBS News. “It’s how these tools are used, whether it’s a firearm, whether it’s a vehicle, whether it’s a tool that helps you retrieve information, it’s the user intent behind it that’s the issue.”
Schiefelbein emphasized that this does not mean stricter safeguards are unnecessary. “Does that mean I believe that there shouldn’t be stricter guardrails in place? Absolutely not,” she said.
While OpenAI has distanced itself from responsibility for the FSU shooting, the company has acknowledged other instances where its AI tool has been implicated in crimes. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently issued an apology to a community in British Columbia following a mass shooting where eight people were killed by a teenager who had reportedly used ChatGPT.
The teen, Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, allegedly opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on February 10, killing a teacher and five students before taking her own life. Prior to the school shooting, Van Rootselaar had also killed her mother and 11-year-old half-brother at their home.
“The pain your community has endured is unimaginable,” Altman wrote in a letter shared on social media by British Columbia Premier David Eby. “I have been thinking of you often over the past few months.”
Altman’s letter, dated April 23, stated that Van Rootselaar’s ChatGPT account had been banned in June 2025. OpenAI indicated that automated systems and human investigators flagged the account for potential misuse related to violent activities, leading to its suspension for violating usage policies.
OpenAI mentioned that they had considered reporting the account to law enforcement but concluded at the time that it did not present an “imminent and credible risk of serious physical harm to others,” thus not meeting the threshold for referral.
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In his letter, Altman reiterated OpenAI’s commitment to preventative measures “to help ensure something like this never happens again.” He concluded by expressing his deepest condolences to the affected community.
