Indian Woman Found Murdered in US, Ex-Roommate Flees to India
Nikitha Godishala, a young Indian professional in the U.S., was found murdered in Maryland after going to recover borrowed money.
Nikitha Godishala was a 27-year-old Indian woman from Secunderabad, Telangana, who moved to the United States in 2021 to build her career. She completed her master’s degree in Health Information Technology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. After finishing her studies, Nikitha began working in Maryland as a Data and Strategy Analyst at Vheda Health. She was doing well professionally and had recently received an award at work, making her family proud.
On the night of 31 December 2025, Nikitha spoke to her father, Anand Godishala, and wished him a Happy New Year. That call was the last time her family heard her voice. On 2 January 2026, a missing person complaint was filed with the Howard County Police Department by a 26-year-old man named Arjun Sharma. He told police that Nikitha had visited his apartment on New Year’s Eve and had not been seen since.
Police soon found his actions suspicious, as Arjun left the United States for India on the same day he filed the complaint. On 3 January, police searched his apartment and found Nikitha’s body. She had been stabbed multiple times, and the case was treated as homicide. Arrest warrants were issued against Arjun for first-degree and second-degree murder.
Nikitha’s family clarified that Arjun was not her boyfriend but her former roommate. They said he had borrowed around USD 4,500 from her. Nikitha went to his apartment to ask for the remaining money, which they believe led to her murder. U.S. agencies, Interpol, and the Indian Embassy are now involved, as the family waits for justice and her return home.
