Father Disputes Ex-Boyfriend Label in Daughter’s Tragic US Murder Case

6th January 2026 at 11:23 AM

1 minute read

The international manhunt for a Telugu woman’s killer ended in Tamil Nadu after Interpol police arrested Arjun Sharma, accused of murdering Nikita Godishala in the United States and fleeing to India.

The father of Nikitha Godishala, a 27-year-old woman from Hyderabad found stabbed to death in the United States, has rejected suggestions that the prime suspect was her former romantic partner and called for severe punishment against the perpetrator.

Anand Godishala told PTI news agency that Arjun Sharma, 26, against whom US authorities have issued an arrest warrant for first- and second-degree murder, was merely a former roommate of his daughter, not an ex-boyfriend. He explained that Sharma had previously shared an apartment in Columbia, Maryland, with Nikitha and two other individuals.

According to Anand, recent reports indicated that Nikitha had discovered Sharma had taken substantial loans from multiple people and intended to return to India soon. While he noted this development occurred shortly before her death, Anand emphasized he had no confirmed details of any financial conflict between them and had not yet discussed potential motives in depth with her friends.

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The grieving father recounted his last conversation with Nikitha on the night of December 31, when she phoned to wish him a happy New Year. Nothing in the call raised any alarms about her safety, he said. She was reported missing on January 2, and her body, bearing stab wounds, was later discovered.

Nikitha had been living in the US for four years after completing her master’s degree and worked as a Data and Strategy Analyst at Vheda Health, where her uncle Santosh Kumar noted she had recently received the Best Employee award. She last visited India three years ago. The family, based in Tarnaka, Hyderabad, learned of the tragedy from a cousin in the US and has urged the Indian central and Telangana state governments to expedite the repatriation of her remains.

Anand further alleged that Sharma was the one who initially contacted US police before fleeing the country. US officials suspect Sharma killed Nikitha and escaped to India, prompting ongoing efforts to locate him.