Nikitha Godishala, a 27-year-old Indian woman from Ellicott City, Maryland, was found dead with stab wounds in her ex-boyfriend's apartment in Columbia, Maryland. The grim discovery was made on January 3, 2026, after she was reported missing on January 2, 2026.

According to the Howard County Police, Nikitha was last seen on December 31, 2025, at the apartment of her ex-boyfriend, Arjun Sharma, 26, also of Columbia. Sharma himself had reported her missing to the authorities. However, police investigations later revealed that Sharma had left the United States for India on the same day he filed the missing person report.

Detectives executed a search warrant on Sharma's apartment on Twin Rivers Road and found Godishala deceased. Based on their investigation, police believe that Sharma killed Godishala shortly after 7 p.m. on December 31, 2025.

A warrant has been issued for Sharma's arrest on charges of first- and second-degree murder. The Howard County Police are collaborating with federal law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend him.

Authorities have not yet disclosed a possible motive for the killing or the details of what transpired between Godishala and Sharma leading up to her death. The investigation remains ongoing.

Friends of Nikitha had circulated her photo and appealed for help in finding her after she was last seen on New Year's Eve. The timeline indicates that Nikitha's body remained in Sharma's apartment since December 31, 2025. It remains unclear what Sharma did in the time between the alleged murder and his departure from the U.S.

Nikitha Godishala's death has sparked concern in the community, and the search for Arjun Sharma is underway.