Police Investigate Fatal Stabbing of Nikitha Godishala, Suspect Escapes to India
Indian man murders girlfriend in Maryland, escapes country.
Howard County Police in Maryland have initiated an international manhunt for 26-year-old Arjun Sharma, accused of fatally stabbing his 27-year-old girlfriend, Nikitha Godishala, before fleeing to India on January 2, 2026. The victim's body was discovered concealed inside Sharma's apartment in Columbia following a search prompted by inconsistencies in his initial report to authorities.
Sharma filed a missing person complaint with police on January 2, stating that Godishala—a resident of Ellicott City—had disappeared after visiting his Twin Rivers Road residence on New Year's Eve. He claimed no knowledge of her whereabouts after that evening, leading officers to launch a standard investigation into her disappearance.
Detectives grew suspicious upon learning that Sharma had booked and boarded a flight to India on the same day he reported her missing. This timeline discrepancy, combined with other investigative leads, prompted authorities to obtain a search warrant for the apartment, where Godishala's remains were recovered during a thorough examination on January 3.
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A subsequent autopsy revealed multiple stab wounds as the cause of death, confirming the incident as a homicide. Police have charged Sharma with murder and issued a formal arrest warrant, while collaborating with federal agencies—including potential involvement from the FBI and Interpol—to track his location and pursue extradition proceedings.
The ongoing investigation seeks to establish a motive for the alleged crime, reviewing communications, witness statements, and forensic evidence from the scene. Cases involving suspects fleeing internationally present significant jurisdictional challenges, requiring coordinated diplomatic efforts between U.S. and Indian authorities to ensure accountability in this tragic cross-border incident.
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