Police have launched an international manhunt for a Maryland man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend and fleeing to India from the United States, authorities said.
An arrest warrant was issued for Arjun Sharma, 26, charging him with first and second-degree murder following the death of Nikitha Godishala, 27.
Investigators believe Godishala was killed at Sharma’s apartment in Columbia on New Year’s Eve, CBS News reported.
“There was obviously some level of premeditation involved, given the sequence of events and the suspect’s departure from the country,” Howard County police spokesman Seth Hoffman said in a media interview.
He added that investigators are still working to determine the circumstances leading up to the killing.
Howard County police said Sharma told officers on Friday that he had last seen Godishala on New Year’s Eve at his apartment in the 10100 block of Twin Rivers Road.
Later that day, investigators learned that the suspect had left the country on a flight to India, prompting authorities to seek a search warrant for the apartment.
Officers arrived at the property to discover Godishala’s body inside, police said, and found that she had suffered multiple stab wounds. Detectives believe she was killed shortly after 7 pm on December 31.
Police said there were no prior calls regarding incidents involving Sharma and Godishala at the location.
According to investigators, Sharma contacted emergency services on Friday to report his ex-girlfriend missing. Authorities believe that after making the call, he traveled to Dulles International Airport in Virginia and boarded a flight bound for India.
Howard County police said they are working with federal law enforcement agencies and international partners to track down and arrest Sharma.
Extradition proceedings could follow if he is taken into custody in India or any other foreign country. A motive for the killing has not yet been established, and the investigation remains ongoing, police said.
Authorities said it was not immediately clear whether a weapon had been recovered from the apartment.
Sharma faces first and second-degree murder charges and will be returned to Howard County to face trial if apprehended, police said.
Godishala was a healthcare data analyst with a strong academic and professional background. She earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in India and later completed a master’s degree in Health Information Technology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
At the time of her death, Godishala was working as a data and strategy analyst at Vheda Health, where colleagues praised her dedication and commitment to her work.
Friends described her as ambitious and warm, noting that she was focused on building a successful life away from her hometown.
