Ellicott City: Indian Woman Found Dead in Ex-Boyfriend's Apartment; Suspect Flees to India
Nikitha Rao Godishala, a 27-year-old Indian woman who lived and worked in Ellicott City, Maryland, was found dead with stab wounds in her ex-boyfriend's apartment on 3 January 2026. Howard County Police obtained murder warrants for 26-year-old Arjun Sharma, who allegedly fled to India shortly after filing a false missing person report.
Indian Woman Found Dead in Ellicott City Ex-Boyfriend's Apartment
The Indian Express reported that 27-year-old Nikitha Rao Godishala, a resident of Ellicott City, Maryland, was found dead inside the apartment of her ex-boyfriend on 3 January 2026. Officers of the Howard County Police Department located her body, bearing stab wounds, inside the residence of 26-year-old Arjun Sharma. Sharma had filed a missing person report with local police on 2 January, telling authorities he had last seen Godishala on New Year's Eve at his apartment. By the time police discovered her body, Sharma had fled the country. He is believed to have proceeded to Dulles International Airport and boarded a flight to India shortly after submitting the missing person report. Howard County police subsequently obtained a warrant for his arrest on first- and second-degree murder charges. US authorities were expected to issue a Red Corner notice to secure his apprehension. Godishala was from Secunderabad and had completed a pharmacy programme from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad before moving to the United States for a Master's degree in Health Information Technology at the University of Maryland. She was working as a data analyst in Ellicott City at the time of her death. The Indian embassy confirmed it was in contact with her family and providing all possible consular assistance. [1]
Police Detail How Suspect Filed Missing Report Then Left the Country
The Times of India reported further details about the death of Nikitha Rao Godishala in Ellicott City, with police revealing that suspect Arjun Sharma left the United States immediately after filing the missing person report. According to the report, Sharma submitted the report to Howard County police on 2 January, claiming he had last seen Godishala on New Year's Eve at his apartment. Police alleged that he made his way to the airport and departed for India within hours of filing that report, leaving the country before investigators discovered Godishala's body. Investigators alleged Sharma had killed Godishala on New Year's Eve and then staged the disappearance report to divert suspicion and gain time to flee. Howard County authorities secured murder warrants and were coordinating with Indian authorities for his apprehension. The case received significant attention in both the United States and in India, particularly in Hyderabad where Godishala's family is based. The Indian embassy stated it was monitoring the case closely and extending support to the family through what the report described as an extremely difficult time. Law enforcement was expected to pursue extradition proceedings. [2]
🍛 Gujarati Restaurant Jalsa Indian Cuisine Serves Authentic Food Inside Ellicott City Gas Station
Baltimore Magazine profiled Jalsa Indian Cuisine, described as one of the only Gujarati restaurants in the greater Baltimore area, which operates out of a gas station in Ellicott City. The publication drew attention to the unusual setting — a petrol station — as part of what makes Jalsa a distinctive dining discovery for those seeking authentic Gujarati vegetarian food in the region. Gujarati cuisine is rooted in the traditions of Gujarat state in western India and is largely vegetarian, offering a profile of flavours — balanced across sweet, salty, and spiced notes — that sets it apart from the more widely available North Indian and South Indian menus common across the mid-Atlantic. Baltimore Magazine framed Jalsa as a rare local option for the South Asian community in and around Ellicott City, as well as for non-South Asian diners curious about a regional Indian food tradition that is rarely represented in area restaurants. Ellicott City has a sizable South Asian population, and the presence of a Gujarati-specific restaurant reflects the community's deepening roots and demand for the specific regional foods of home states beyond broadly generic Indian menus. The gas station setting itself speaks to the resilience and creativity with which immigrant food culture often finds its footing in new places. [3]
Sources: [1] The Indian Express · [2] The Times of India · [3] Baltimore Magazine