A Pinellas County medical examiner moves towards the mangroves in St. Petersburg, Florida on April 26, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) says that Pinellas deputies (PCSO) recovered human remains last Sunday afternoon.
The remains were pulled “from the waterways in the area of Interstate 275 and 4th Street North,” according to HCSO’s public information officer.
The PIO added that positive identification of the remains had not been determined as of last Sunday night and that the body is in the possession of the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez, who was on-site in Pinellas last Sunday, declined to comment about the body when approached by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
An official from HCSO told CL that no press conferences are planned as of yet.
HCSO said the remains were pulled ‘from the waterways in the area of Interstate 275 and 4th Street North.’ Credit: Dave Decker/Google Maps
The discovery comes as officials continue to search for missing University of South Florida doctoral student Nahida Bristy, who went missing on April 16 along with another doctoral candidate, Zamil Limon.
HCSO arrested Limon’s 26-year-old roommate—who is not a USF student—on Friday. CBS News said the suspect, Hisham Abugharbieh, asked ChatGPT questions about how to dispose of a body in the days leading up to the disappearances, according to court records.
Bristy is still considered missing as of Monday morning.
Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayCredit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayMultiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayMultiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayMultiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayMultiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayHillsborough County State Attorney SUZY LOPEZ and multiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayMultiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayHillsborough County State Attorney SUZY LOPEZ and multiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayHillsborough County State Attorney SUZY LOPEZ and multiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayMultiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayMultiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayMultiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayMultiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayA Pinellas County Sheriffs Office marine unit pulls a boat from the water as multiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayA Pinellas County Sheriffs Office marine unit pulls a boat from the water as multiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayA Pinellas County Sheriffs Office marine unit pulls a boat from the water as multiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayA Pinellas County Sheriffs Office marine unit pulls a boat from the water as multiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayA Pinellas County Sheriffs Office marine unit pulls a boat from the water as multiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayA Pinellas County Sheriffs Office marine unit pulls a boat from the water as multiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa BayA Pinellas County Sheriffs Office marine unit pulls a boat from the water as multiple law enforcement agencies which included marine units, medical examiner and forensic units gathered at the site where divers were searching for University of South Florida doctoral student NAHIDA BRISTY near the mangroves close to the Howard Franklin Bridge in Pinellas County. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...
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