Highlights:
- Victim identified as 27-year-old Nikitha Godishala of Ellicott City
- Body found in ex-boyfriend Arjun Sharma’s Maryland apartment
- Police say Sharma reported her missing, then flew to India the same day
- Arrest warrant issued on first- and second-degree murder charges
- Indian Embassy says it is assisting the victim’s family
A 27-year-old Indian woman who was reported missing in Maryland last week has been found dead, and US police allege that her former boyfriend killed her before fleeing the country to India.
Nikitha Godishala, a resident of Ellicott City, Maryland, was reported missing on Friday (2). On Sunday (4), the Howard County Police Department said she was discovered deceased in an apartment in Columbia, Maryland, belonging to her ex-boyfriend, Arjun Sharma, 26.
Police said Godishala’s body showed signs of stab wounds. Investigators have obtained an arrest warrant charging Sharma with first- and second-degree murder. Authorities believe Sharma left the United States shortly after the alleged killing and are now working with federal law enforcement agencies to locate and arrest him.
According to police, Sharma himself contacted authorities on January 2 to report Godishala missing. He told officers that he had last seen her on December 31 at his apartment in Columbia. However, investigators later determined that Sharma departed the US for India on the same day he filed the missing person report.
The following day, detectives executed a search warrant at Sharma’s apartment. During the search, they found Godishala deceased inside the residence. Based on evidence gathered so far, investigators believe she was killed shortly after 7 p.m. on December 31.
Howard County police said the investigation remains ongoing and that a motive has not yet been established. Officials emphasized that the case is being actively pursued, with coordination between local, state, and federal agencies to secure Sharma’s arrest and extradition if necessary.
The Indian Embassy in Washington, DC, acknowledged the incident in a post on X, stating that it is in contact with Godishala’s family and is providing all possible consular assistance. The embassy also said it is following up closely with local US authorities regarding the investigation.
Godishala’s death has shocked members of the local community, particularly after details emerged about the suspect’s departure from the country soon after reporting her missing. Police have urged anyone with additional information related to the case to come forward as the investigation continues.
Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances surrounding the killing, citing the ongoing nature of the case.
