College students' killings latest case to rely on ChatGPT as evidence

U.S. College students' killings latest case to rely on ChatGPT as evidence By Mark Osborne April 29, 2026 / 8:17 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The brutal killings of University of South Florida graduate students Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon, allegedly plotted in part using ChatGPT, is the latest example of a suspect using an artificial intelligence tool as research prior to committing a crime.Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, the roommate of Limon, was arrested over the weekend and charged with two counts of premeditated murder. Limon's body was found on the Howard Frankland Bridge in St. Petersburg. Human remains were found Monday in the search for Bristy, but they have not been officially identified. Bristy's family told CBS News that police said she is also likely dead.Abugharbieh allegedly used ChatGPT extensively in the days leading up to the crime, according to court documents released Sunday. Among the questions he allegedly asked in the days leading up to the pair's disappearance was how to dispose of a body.The suspect asked ChatGPT on April 13 what would happen if someone was "put in a black garbage bag and thrown in dumpster." The AI chatbot responded that it sounded dangerous, prompting Abugharbieh to allegedly ask, "How would they find out." Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27, were last seen in the Tampa area on April 16, the University of South Florida Police Department said. Families of Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy On April 15, the day before the doctoral students went missing, Abugharbieh allegedly asked ChatGPT, "Can a VIN number on a car be changed?" and, "Can you keep a gun at home with out a license," according to court documents. On the same night his phone pinged near the location where Limon's body was found, the suspect asked ChatGPT if cars are "checked at the Hillsborough River state park."A spokesperson for OpenAI, the developers of ChatGPT, said in a statement to CBS News: "This is a terrible crime, and our thoughts are w...