Man of interest claims he tried saving US Student at Punta Cana beach after sharing a kiss
THE DETAILS …
Joshua Riibe, the last person to see missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki alive, claimed they shared a romantic kiss before nearly being swept into the ocean at a beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Riibe, a 24-year-old American, was captured on surveillance footage with Konanki in the early hours of March 6 at the Riu Republica Resort, where they were both staying during spring break. He told investigators from the Ministerio Publico that he attempted to save Konanki from drowning, holding her under his arm and swimming to shore, but she remained in the water when he last saw her.
Riibe has refused to answer several critical questions, repeatedly stating, "I'm sorry, I can't say anything, not right now," when approached by reporters at the resort. His family, including his father who flew to Punta Cana to support him, insists that Riibe is a good person who "wouldn't hurt a fly." Meanwhile, Riibe and his father have been in communication with Konanki's distressed parents, Subbarayudu and Sreedevi, as the search for the missing 20-year-old pre-med student continues.
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New updates reveal that Riibe is under round-the-clock police surveillance at the Riu Republica Resort, where Konanki vanished over a week ago. The investigation has intensified, with Dominican authorities, the FBI, and Interpol involved, amid growing suspicions of possible kidnapping, though drowning remains a possibility. Surveillance footage discrepancies have emerged, showing Riibe returning to the hotel barefoot and shirtless at 8:54 a.m., while no video evidence of Konanki exists after 5:55 a.m., deepening the mystery surrounding her disappearance.