Columbia, Maryland — A 27-year-old Indian-origin woman from Hyderabad has become the victim of a brutal stabbing that has sparked an international manhunt across the United States and India. Nikitha Godishala, who was working as a data and strategy analyst in Columbia, Maryland, was found dead with multiple stab wounds in her former roommate's apartment on January 3.
Columbia, Maryland — A 27-year-old Indian-origin woman from Hyderabad has become the victim of a brutal stabbing that has sparked an international manhunt across the United States and India. Nikitha Godishala, who was working as a data and strategy analyst in Columbia, Maryland, was found dead with multiple stab wounds in her former roommate's apartment on January 3.
The prime suspect, 26-year-old Arjun Sharma, fled to India the very day he reported her missing, leaving investigators from Howard County Police and federal law enforcement racing against time to locate him and bring him to justice.
Detectives believe Sharma killed Godishala shortly after 7 p.m. on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2025, inside his apartment in the 10100 block of Twin Rivers Road, near the Mall in Columbia.
The discovery came after friends and family of Godishala grew increasingly concerned when she stopped responding to their messages and calls. Some took to social media urging anyone with information to come forward. On January 2, Sharma called Howard County Police to file a missing person report, claiming he last saw Godishala on New Year's Eve.
However, authorities later discovered that on that very same day, Sharma boarded a flight from Washington Dulles International Airport and fled to India, leaving behind the body of his former roommate in his apartment.
When police executed a search warrant on January 3, they found Godishala's body bearing multiple stab wounds and other trauma. The rapid sequence of events — the missing person report followed immediately by Sharma's international flight — raised immediate red flags for investigators. Godishala, who had moved to the United States four years ago and completed her master's degree in health information technology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, had been working in Columbia for less than a year.
Her friends described her as a dedicated professional, and posts on social media earlier in August showed her looking for someone to take over her room in the shared apartment.
Godishala's father, Anand Godishala, has since clarified crucial details about the relationship between his daughter and Sharma. Speaking to reporters from Hyderabad, he rejected media reports labeling Sharma as his daughter's ex-boyfriend, emphasizing that Sharma was her ex-roommate. According to Godishala's father, the motive behind the killing was financial.
Sharma had borrowed a significant amount of money from Nikitha, and when she asked him to return the funds before his planned trip to India, he lured her to his apartment and committed the crime. The Indian Embassy in Washington has confirmed it is in contact with the family and extending all possible consular assistance while following up with local authorities.
The investigation has escalated into an international case, with Howard County Police working alongside U.S. federal law enforcement agencies to track down Sharma.
Interpol has been involved in issuing arrest warrants for his apprehension. Sharma faces first-and second-degree murder charges in connection with Godishala's death. While authorities work to secure his extradition from India, the investigation remains ongoing with no official motive confirmed at this time by law enforcement, though the family's account points to a financial dispute that turned fatal.
Anand Godishala stated to reporters, his voice steady but filled with the weight of losing his daughter to violence thousands of miles from home.
The case has drawn attention to the vulnerabilities faced by young Indian professionals working abroad, particularly regarding shared living arrangements and financial disputes that can escalate dangerously. As the investigation continues, Howard County Police are urging anyone with information related to the fatal stabbing to come forward. The extradition process is expected to be lengthy, potentially taking months or longer to bring Sharma back to the United States to face trial.
For Godishala's family in Hyderabad, the wait for justice has only just begun.
Do You Know?
Nikitha Godishala had recently begun her career with Vheda Health as a data and strategy analyst in February 2025, less than a year before her death. Her LinkedIn profile and professional work suggested she was thriving in her career, making her tragic death even more shocking to friends and colleagues who knew her ambitions and dedication to building a life in America.
Key Terms
First-and Second-Degree Murder: Legal charges indicating the perpetrator intentionally caused the death of another person; first-degree typically means premeditated, while second-degree means deliberate but not necessarily planned.
- Extradition: The legal process by which a person accused of a crime in one country is transferred to another country to face trial or serve a sentence.
- International Manhunt: A coordinated effort by law enforcement agencies across multiple countries to locate and apprehend a fugitive.
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