Overview
- Howard County Police obtained arrest warrants charging Arjun Sharma, 26, with first- and second-degree murder after 27-year-old Nikitha Rao Godishala was found stabbed in his Columbia, Maryland apartment on Jan. 3.
- Detectives believe Godishala was killed shortly after 7 p.m. on Dec. 31; Sharma reported her missing on Jan. 2 and flew to India the same day, police said.
- Indian outlets report Sharma was located and taken into custody in Tamil Nadu following a manhunt involving U.S. federal partners and Interpol, with extradition steps now underway.
- Police have not identified a motive; relatives allege a financial dispute and unauthorized withdrawals, and the victim’s father describes the suspect as a former flatmate rather than an ex-boyfriend.
- The Indian Embassy in Washington says it is assisting the family and coordinating with local authorities, while Howard County police note indicators of planning before the suspect’s flight.