Suspect In Ellicott City Woman's Fatal Stabbing Arrested In India

COLUMBIA, MD — International authorities have notified the Howard County Police Department that the man wanted in connection to the death of his ex-girlfriend has been taken into custody in India.

Arjun Sharma, 26, of Columbia has been named by police as the suspect in the death of Nikitha Godishala, 27, of Ellicott City on Dec. 31, 2025.

Sharma will be extradited to Maryland but no timeline has been identified for his return to the U.S., the Howard County Police Department stated Thursday.

On Jan. 2, Godishala was reported missing. She was found fatally stabbed in her Sharma's apartment the next day.

According to Howard County Police, Sharma filed a missing person report with police and said the last time he saw his ex-girlfriend was on Dec. 31 in his apartment located in the 10100 block of Twin Rivers Road.

Police later learned that on the same day he filed the missing person report, Jan. 2, Sharma left the country on a flight to India. On Jan. 3, detectives executed a search warrant for Sharma 's apartment and found Godishala dead from stab wounds, the police department stated.

Detectives believe Sharma killed Godishala shortly after 7 p.m. New Year's Eve.

Sharma has been charged with first- and second-degree murder.

Related:

Woman Found Fatally Stabbed In Ex's Apartment, Suspect Flees U.S.: HCPD