Hyderabad woman stabbed in Maryland, ex-boyfriend faces murder charges

A 27-year-old Indian woman from Secunderabad, Telangana was found dead with stab wounds at her former boyfriend’s apartment in Maryland in the United States, days after concern over her whereabouts surfaced on social media and a missing person complaint was filed by the accused himself.

The victim, 27-year-old Nikitha Rao Godishala, was found at an apartment on the 10100 block of Twin Rivers Road in Maryland City on January 3. Her ex-boyfriend, 26-year-old Arjun Sharma, had filed a missing person report on January 2, telling police that he had last seen her on December 31 at the same apartment. Investigators later learned that Sharma had already left the United States and travelled to India.

The Howard County police stated that the concern over Godishala’s disappearance was first raised when her friends shared appeals on Facebook seeking help to locate her. One post urged people in and around Columbia, Maryland, to remain alert and assist in finding her.

Based on the missing person report, detectives executed a search warrant at Sharma’s apartment on January 3 and found Godishala’s body with stab wounds. Police believe she was killed shortly after 7 p.m. on December 31.

An arrest warrant has since been obtained against Sharma, charging him with first- and second-degree murder. Howard County police said they are working with US federal agencies to locate him. Interpol is expected to issue a red notice, which would alert law enforcement agencies across nearly 200 countries, including India.

Godishala was employed as a Data and Strategy Analyst at Vheda Health in Columbia, Maryland, having joined the firm in February 2025. Within a year, she received the company’s “All-In Award” for her performance. In a LinkedIn post after receiving the award, she wrote about carrying forward a sense of purpose and responsibility and spoke of continuing her work with intention and momentum into 2026.

Before joining Vheda Health, she worked as a Data Analysis and Visualisation Specialist and Technical Advisor at Management Sciences for Health for over a year. Between June 2022 and May 2023, she was employed at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

In India, she had worked as a Clinical Pharmacist intern for one and a half years and later as a Clinical Data Specialist for two years at Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Hospitals (KIMS).

Godishala studied pharmacy at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) from June 2015 to September 2021. She later moved to the United States to pursue a master’s degree in Health Information Technology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Following confirmation of her death, the Indian Embassy in the United States said it is assisting the family and coordinating with local authorities. In a post on X, the embassy said it is in contact with Godishala’s family and is extending all possible consular assistance while following up the matter with the concerned authorities.