Judge issues full ruling clearing Joshua Riibe in Pitt student Sudiksha Konanki's disappearance
disappearance last month of Pitt student Sudiksha Konanki
.
Riibe is presumed to have been the last person to see Konanki alive, and was held for at least 10 days in the Dominican Republic as authorities there looked into whether he had any role in her disappearance.
Eventually,
he was freed from police surveillance
and allowed to return home to the U.S. In the wake of the decision, the law firm representing Riibe said they requested a new passport with the U.S. Embassy because, at the time, authorities hadn't yet returned his. The new passport was quickly issued.
The law firm that represented Riibe during his habeas corpus petition, Guzman Ariza, issued a statement saying that this week's update "does not constitute a new decision. The original ruling announced at the conclusion of the hearing on March 17 was immediately valid and enforceable."
The firm went on to explain, "The Court ordered Mr. Riibe's immediate release because he was unlawfully detained surpassing the maximum period of 48 hours permitted under the Constitution of the Dominican Republic and the Dominican Code of Criminal Procedure. According to these provisions, the Public Prosecutor's Office is required to file formal charges within 48 hours following an arrest or detention."
Riibe, an Iowa resident who attends St. Cloud State University, was seen on surveillance video with 20-year-old Konanki along with three of her friends and another man outside the Riu República hotel,
walking to the beach on March 6
. In the footage, Konanki and Riibe could be seen walking with their arms around each other.
The last sighting of Konanki and Riibe in the water happened around 4:50 a.m., according to Loudon County Sheriff Mike Chapman, whose office in Virginia is involved in the investigation. Riibe told police he and Konanki were swept into the ocean by a large wave. He said he believed Konanki got out of the water but said he could not be certain, according to a person with direct knowledge of Riibe's statements to U.S. investigators.
During his testimony in March, Riibe recounted his exchange with Konanki's mother, who hugged and thanked him for saving her daughter the first time. Riibe and his parents, Tina and Albert Riibe, also expressed "deep sorrow and solidarity" with Konanski's family in a
statement released
through his attorney.
Konanki's family has since asked authorities that their daughter be
declared dead
.
Andre Tinoco
,
Anna Schecter
,
Manuel Bojorquez
and
Emily Mae Czachor
contributed to this report.
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