Nikitha Rao Godishala Murder In US: Last Instagram Post Of Indian Woman Goes Viral After Allegedly Being Killed By Ex-Boyfriend In Maryland

The death of 27-year-old Nikitha Rao Godishala, an Indian national living in the United States, has sparked widespread shock and grief, particularly after her final Instagram post resurfaced online. Godishala was found dead inside the Maryland home of her ex-boyfriend, Arjun Sharma, days after he reported her missing and then left the country. US police have since charged Sharma with first- and second-degree murder and are searching for him.

While the investigation continues, public attention has turned to Godishala’s last social media post, which featured several pictures of her, including one in the gym, a couple of pictures with her friends and even a picture of her recent birthday celebration. Her caption for the photo dump post read, "My camera roll got full!"

In another post, weeks before her death she sharef a video which is now seen as a poignant reflection of her inner world and resilience. The video, shared shortly before her death, shows her walking alone on a street, browsing through a library and later sitting casually with a drink, wearing a cowboy hat. The visuals are calm and ordinary, yet deeply moving in hindsight.

Overlaying the video were words that have since gone viral: “Are you scared? Scared? I once crossed the oceans with just two suitcases, leaving behind a life and starting a new one all alone, almost failed, rebuild it all over again :)”.

In the caption, she added that she had struggled with a lot of cognitive dissonance but would live by the art of surrender — trusting that what leaves clears space for what’s meant to stay. The post has been widely shared, with many interpreting it as a declaration of strength, independence and hope, written by a young woman who had rebuilt her life far from home.

Details Around Nikitha's Death

According to reports quoting investigators, Godishala was last seen on New Year’s Eve at Sharma’s apartment in Maryland City. Sharma filed a missing person’s report on January 2, claiming he had not seen her since then, but police say he left for India soon afterward. On January 3, detectives discovered Godishala’s body inside his home. Authorities believe the killing occurred shortly after 7 pm on December 31.

Beyond the tragic circumstances of her death, Godishala was known as a driven professional with a promising career. She worked as a Data and Strategy Analyst at Vheda Health in Columbia, Maryland, where she joined in February 2025 and quickly earned the firm’s “All-In Award.”

Earlier, she held data and health technology roles at Management Sciences for Health and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Before moving to the US for her master’s degree in health information technology, she trained and worked in India as a pharmacist and clinical data specialist.