PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Efforts to locate a missing U.S. college student in the Dominican Republic intensified as authorities continued their search for 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student and Indian citizen, who disappeared on March 6 in the coastal resort area of Punta Cana. Officials are actively searching the nearby waters, fearing she may have drowned.
Minnesota native Joshua Riibe, though not a designated suspect, remains detained by Dominican authorities as he is presumed to be the last individual who saw Konanki before she went missing. Riibe revisited the beach this past Sunday in the company of his attorney and engaged in discussion with local officials.
On Monday, Riibe’s legal representative formally requested his release, with a decision anticipated from a judge on Tuesday. This information was shared by an official who prefers to remain unnamed due to the lack of authorization to disseminate such details.
Riibe, as per his conversation with prosecutors—versions of which have been reported by Dominican media—recounted that he was with Konanki, sipping drinks and being affectionate in waist-deep water when a strong current swept them into deeper seas. A former lifeguard, Riibe professes to have helped her get back to shore.
Upon reaching dry land, Riibe claimed he became sick and, according to him, Konanki mentioned retrieving her belongings. However, he never saw her again and was taken aback to later learn about her disappearance.
Concerned about their son’s situation, Riibe’s parents allege that Dominican officials are holding him under suspicious conditions, lacking necessary translators or legal support. They assert he has been under constant police observation within a hotel room for over a week.
The family claims their son, a senior at St. Cloud University, has been dutifully cooperating with authorities despite being subjected to repeated police sessions. However, they emphasize having secured a lawyer to protect Riibe’s legal entitlements.
Dominican public prosecutors have yet to respond to the family’s accusations, while the Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched its own inquiry into the case of Konanki’s disappearance.
