MISSING US STUDENT: Investigators name a person of interest in case
THE DETAILS …
The disappearance of 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki during a spring break trip in the Dominican Republic has escalated into an international investigation, with the FBI now assisting local authorities. Konanki, a pre-med student from Loudoun County, Virginia, vanished in the early hours of March 6, 2025, after being last seen on surveillance footage at the Riu República Hotel in Punta Cana. She was part of a group of five female students from her university, but the circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain murky, with conflicting reports about a power outage at the resort and her activities on the beach. The Dominican National Police have named 24-year-old Joshua Riibe as a person of interest, intensifying the search efforts by air, sea, and land, while her family and community anxiously await answers.
Riibe, a 24-year-old tourist from Iowa, has been named a "person of interest" by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, primarily because he was the last person seen with Konanki before her disappearance in the Dominican Republic. He has been interviewed extensively by authorities, and while there are inconsistencies in his accounts of the events—such as varying statements about what happened after they went into the water—these inconsistencies alone have not led to charges. The investigation involves multiple agencies, including the FBI, the U.S. Embassy, and the Dominican National Police, and is focused on corroborating Riibe’s statements and gathering further evidence, such as surveillance footage and witness testimonies.
New details have emerged that complicate the narrative, including surveillance footage showing Konanki walking to the beach with friends and two unidentified men around 4:15 a.m. The investigation has revealed discrepancies, such as the resort's claim of a power outage prompting guests to head to the beach, which the civil defense director has disputed. Konanki's clothes were found on a portable beach bed, leading Dominican officials to presume she drowned, though her father has challenged this theory, arguing that a body would likely have washed ashore if that were the case. The involvement of U.S. federal agencies, alongside the questioning of hotel staff and individuals in Konanki’s proximity, underscores the seriousness of the case, with growing speculation about foul play, including possibilities of abduction.
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The case has drawn parallels to other high-profile disappearances, prompting warnings about travel safety in the Dominican Republic, though some voices caution against reputational damage to the country without concrete evidence. Public sentiment, as reflected in online discussions, ranges from concern for Konanki’s safety to theories of human trafficking, though no definitive evidence supports these claims. The investigation remains classified as a missing person case, not a criminal one, but the naming of a person of interest and the ongoing re-interviewing of witnesses suggest authorities are exploring all angles. As the search continues, the lack of solid leads and the emotional toll on Konanki’s family highlight the urgency of resolving this distressing mystery.