Judge officially clears Joshua Riibe in Pitt student Sudiksha Konanki's spring break DR disappearance
A judge in the Dominican Republic has officially ruled to close the case of the key witness in the spring break disappearance of the University of Pittsburgh student Sudikasha Konanki.
On Friday, Judge Edwin Rijo issued the full written sentence detailing the legal reasoning behind his decision to grant the habeas corpus motion filed on behalf of 22-year-old Joshua Steven Ribe, officially concluding the case against him.
The detailed judgment does not constitute a new decision, the statement read, as the original ruling, announced at the conclusion of the hearing on March 17, was immediately valid and enforceable.
A Dominican Republic judge ruled in favor of Riibe's writ of habeas corpus, giving him the ability to move freely within the country until his March 28 hearing.
Riibe had been holed up in the Riu Republica under strict police monitoring for 11 days before a judge ruled the situation violated Dominican law. His restrictions also included having his cellphone and passport confiscated.
Riibe's attorneys successfully argued in court that, as a witness, not a suspect, police control over his movements over an 11-day span was unlawful.
"On March 18th, following the conclusion of the habeas corpus hearing that ordered the release of our client, Joshua Riib, the Prosecutor's Office of La Altagracia informed him of their readiness to return his passport," Riibe's attorneys said. "While Joshua appreciated this decision, he chose, for privacy reasons, to apply for a new passport at the U.S. Consulate, which was promptly issued.
Riibe is believed to be one of the last people who saw Konanki, 20, before she vanished in the early morning hours of March 6 from the beach behind their resort, the Riu Republica in Punta Cana.
Surveillance video shows he and Konanki went to the beach with a group around 4:15 a.m., the morning she vanished. Most of them were seen leaving around 6 a.m. Riibe and Konanki remained on the beach. Riibe came back by himself hours later, and Konanki's whereabouts remain unknown nearly two weeks later.
According to a leaked transcript of an interview with police, Riibe told investigators he and Konanki were both pulled away from the shore by a strong current, and they struggled to make it back. He last saw her walking in knee-deep water before he vomited and fell asleep on a beach chair.
Her parents, in a letter to Dominican authorities, asked for her to be declared dead on Monday, March 17, citing the lack of evidence of foul play and Riibe's continued cooperation with investigators.
"Our firm remains committed to upholding due process and the constitutional guarantees established under Article 69 of our Constitution," a representative from Guzmán Ariza shared in a press release. "This ruling reinforces these fundamental principles and strengthens confidence in the justice system of the Dominican Republic."
"This favorable outcome was achieved through the dedication and tireless efforts of our legal team. Guzmán Ariza remains steadfast in its commitment to defending the rule of law, ensuring nationals and foreign citizens alike can trust in the protection of their fundamental rights in the Dominican Republic."
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
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