Who Was Nikitha Rao Godishala, 27-Year-Old Indian Woman Found Dead At Ex-Boyfriend's US Home?

Last Updated:January 05, 2026, 09:24 IST

Godishala, a data and strategy analyst, was found murdered at her ex-boyfriend, Arjun Sharma's, Maryland home. Sharma fled to India and faces murder charges.

Nikitha Godishala was found dead in the US. (Image: LinkedIn/Nikitha Godishala)

A 27-year-old Indian woman, Nikitha Rao Godishala, was found dead with stab wounds at her ex-boyfriend’s home in Maryland, US. Her ex-lover, Arjun Sharma (26), had filed a missing person’s complaint on January 2, stating he last saw Godishala on New Year’s Eve at his apartment in Maryland City.

According to police, Sharma fled to India soon after registering the complaint. On January 3, detectives discovered Godishala’s body at his home. Authorities believe she was killed shortly after 7 pm on December 31. The accused has been charged with first and second-degree murder, and a manhunt was launched for his arrest.

Who Was Nikitha Rao Godishala?

Godishala was a Data and Strategy Analyst at Vheda Health in Columbia, Maryland, joining the firm in February 2025. In less than a year, she received the company’s “All-In Award" for her performance. Sharing the recognition on LinkedIn, Godishala wrote: “This award is a reminder of the purpose and responsibility I carry forward. I’m excited to continue contributing with intention, creativity, and that same ‘all-in’ energy that brought me here. Here’s to growing, building, and stepping into 2026 with momentum."

Before Vheda Health, she worked at Management Sciences for Health as a Data Analysis and Visualisation Specialist (Technical Advisor) for over a year. From June 2022 to May 2023, she was employed at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In India, she served as a Clinical Pharmacist intern for one and a half years and then as a Clinical Data Specialist for two years at Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospitals.

Godishala studied pharmacy at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University from June 2015 to September 2021, before moving to the US for a master’s in Health Information Technology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

According to her LinkedIn profile, she spoke English, Hindi, and Telugu and was “driven by a passion for leveraging data-driven insights to optimise healthcare systems and improve patient outcomes."

Her death has shocked both the Indian and US communities, highlighting her professional achievements and dedication to healthcare analytics alongside the tragic circumstances of her murder.

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