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Search efforts have entered their second week for Sudiksha Konanki, a college student from the University of Pittsburgh who vanished earlier this month while visiting Punta Cana, a popular resort in the Dominican Republic.
As the international investigation unfolds, more details about Konanki’s disappearance have surfaced. Here’s a summary of what is currently known about her case.
Last Seen Heading to the Beach
At 20 years old, Konanki is originally from Chantilly, Virginia, located near Washington, D.C., and is studying in Pittsburgh. She holds both U.S. permanent residency and Indian citizenship. Konanki traveled to the Dominican Republic for spring break on March 3, joining five friends for the vacation.
She has been missing since March 6, when surveillance footage captured her, along with three friends and two American men, walking towards the beach just outside the Riu República hotel at approximately 4:15 a.m. According to the hotel, power outages may have prompted guests to gather outside at that time. Earlier footage also showed Konanki sharing a moment with a friend at the hotel bar.
One of the men, identified as 22-year-old Joshua Riibe, was seen in the video with Konanki as they made their way to the beach with their arms around one another. The remaining four individuals later returned to the hotel, but Konanki and Riibe did not, remaining on the beach, as confirmed by local police. The last known sighting of them in the water occurred around 4:50 a.m.; Riibe reported that a large wave had swept them into the ocean, and although he believed Konanki managed to exit the water, he could not be sure.
Riibe is now considered to be the last person who saw Konanki alive, and her case is currently being categorized as missing persons rather than one involving criminal activity.
The attorney general of the Dominican Republic indicated that investigators are examining the possibility of drowning while also keeping an open mind regarding foul play.
According to Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman, it’s difficult to ascertain whether Konanki’s disappearance was accidental. He stated, “We know that at about 4:50 a.m. was the last sighting that we had of them in the water. We don’t know what happened after that.”
Family Seeking Answers
Konanki’s family has requested to have her declared deceased and expressed appreciation for law enforcement efforts. They seek closure in light of her ongoing disappearance. The request was formally submitted in writing, both to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and to Dominican authorities.
The family’s correspondence included acknowledgment of Riibe’s cooperation with the investigation and noted the absence of evidence suggesting foul play in Konanki’s disappearance. Sheriff Chapman mentioned that the family believes she may have drowned.
“While a final decision to make such a declaration rests with authorities in the Dominican Republic, we will support the Konanki family in every way possible as we continue to review the evidence and information available to us,” Chapman stated.
Riibe Under Investigation, Claims Cooperation
Since the investigation began, Riibe has been questioned in Punta Cana. Initially under police surveillance for over a week, a court decision allowed him to leave the police’s watch, although his passport remains confiscated. Riibe, who conveyed his desire to return home to his family, insisted to authorities that he has been cooperative throughout the process.
In a statement through his attorney, Riibe and his family expressed deep sympathy for Konanki’s loved ones, affirming their hope for her safe return and underscoring his cooperation with investigators from the outset.
According to Chapman, Riibe was open with detectives from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office who visited the Dominican Republic, and there were no immediate indicators of dishonesty in his responses.
Heightened Search Operations
Dominican President Luis Abinader announced that over 300 officials, with assistance from the FBI, are actively searching for Konanki across air, land, and sea. Furthermore, a newly established high-level commission has been formed to manage the case as Interpol issues an international alert for assistance.
President Abinader raised concerns about the situation at a news conference, stating, “We are concerned… because the latest information we have from one of them, from the last person who was with the young woman, is that a wave crashed into them.”
On March 11, the national police indicated that they were re-interviewing individuals closely associated with Konanki at the time of her disappearance, including hotel staff, in an effort to gather corroborative information regarding her last movements and interactions.
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