Latest news with #GuzmánAriza
Fox News
31-03-2025
- Fox News
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
Fox News
31-03-2025
- Fox News
Missing American in Dominican Republic: Judge makes ruling in last person believed to see student alive
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
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Judge grants habeas corpus petition for Joshua Riibe
(NewsNation) — A judge in the Dominican Republic ruled that the last person to see missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki is free to return home to the United States. Joshua Riibe, 22, was named as a person of interest in Konanki's March 6 disappearance. He was not charged with wrongdoing or named as a suspect. 'Guzmán Ariza expresses its deep gratitude to the Dominican judiciary and all institutions involved in the Joshua Steven Riibe case for upholding the law and ensuring respect for his fundamental rights as a foreign citizen,' Guzmán Ariza, the law firm representing Riibe said in a statement. The ruling comes as Konanki's parents asked authorities to declare the 20-year-old dead. FBI announces arrest of alleged MS-13 gang member, one of 'Ten Most Wanted' 'Sudiksha's family has expressed their belief that she drowned,' Loudon County Sheriff Michael Chapman said in a statement Tuesday. 'While a final decision to make such a declaration rests with authorities in the Dominican Republic, we will support the Konanki family in every way possible.' Authorities say that a friend who was with Riibe at the resort where Konanki went missing remains in the Dominican Republic but did not say if he was being held there or if he was free to leave the country. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
Iowan 'deeply dismayed' about missing student, passport confiscated in Dominican Republic
Authorities in the Dominican Republic have confiscated the passport of a 22-year-old Iowan who was named a person of interest in the disappearance of a college student there, according to multiple news reports. Joshua Riibe, who originally is from Rock Rapids in northwestern Iowa and is a student at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, has been confined to the hotel premises with a police escort wherever he goes, his attorneys told the Minnesota Star Tribune on Saturday. Riibe is believed to be the last person to see 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki before she went missing March 6 while on a spring break trip. 'He has not been allowed to leave,' officials with the Guzmán Ariza law firm said in an email to the Star Tribune. 'Only when taken for questioning and escorted always by the police.' Chad Quinn, spokesperson with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Konanki's hometown in Virginia, said the investigation into her disappearance is not criminal and Riibe is not a suspect. Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student, traveled to the island with five girlfriends during spring break. Authorities say she was last seen early March 6 on the beach with friends. In a previous statement, police said surveillance cameras captured five women and one man leaving the beach at about 6 a.m. Konanki apparently stayed behind with a man, later identified as Riibe, and surveillance video shows him leaving the beach area hours later without her. Quinn said Riibe was not part of the group that Konanki traveled to the island with and is believed to have met them in the resort town of Punta Cana. Riibe's family said in a statement Friday that Riibe is "deeply dismayed" by Konanki's disappearance, according to WTAE, the ABC affiliate in Pittsburgh. "We express our deep sorrow and solidarity with the family of Sudiksha Konanki during this painful time," the statement said. "Above all, we wish to contribute to the search efforts and understand the anguish and uncertainty they are going through and we share the hope that Sudiksha will be found as soon as possible." The family said despite Riibe's "full willingness" to cooperate, he has been detained under "irregular conditions" and has been subjected to extensive questioning without official translators or legal counsel, the statement said. "This situation has raised serious concern within his family, which has led us to retain legal counsel to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights throughout this process," the statement said. The Lyon County Sheriff's Office in Rock Rapids released a statement from friends of Riibe's family Sunday on social media. The sheriff's office said it does not normally act as such a conduit but agreed to release the statement anonymously due to international media coverage in the case. It said it verified the statement and senders' authenticity. "The Rock Rapids community stands behind and supports Joshua Riibe and his family," said the statement, adding Riibe and his family first moved there in 2015. "Josh has unwavering devotion to his faith and genuine kindness towards others. He exemplifies the values of compassion, respect, and integrity that are fundamental to our church and community," the statement says. It asked the public to respect the privacy of the Riibe family. Last week, Riibe told authorities that he and Konanki had talked and kissed, and were in the ocean together when a large wave hit them and pulled them out farther into the ocean, news outlets including ABC News and the Dominican publications El Nacional and Noticias SIN reported, according to a transcript they obtained of his interview with police. "When we surfaced, we tried to plead for help, but there was no one there," Riibe said, according to ABC News. Riibe said he had worked as a lifeguard at a pool before. He said he "held her under my arm and swam to get her out of the water," ABC News reported. "I was trying to make sure that she could breathe the entire time – that prevented me from breathing the entire time and I took in a lot of water," he said. The Hotel Riu Republica, where Konanki was a guest, experienced a 25-hour power outage before her disappearance, but electricity was restored before she was last seen. The electrical outage occurred in the early hours of March 5, but service was fully restored just after 2 a.m. the next morning, the hotel said. Security cameras were operational and captured several images of Konanki around the hotel with other young guests. USA TODAY contributed to this report. José Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@ or follow him on X @mendiola_news. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Joshua Riibe's passport confiscated in missing student investigation
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Yahoo
Key witness in American college student's disappearance has his passport seized
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Authorities in the Dominican Republic have seized the passport of Joshua Riibe, the man seen with University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki before she went missing, Fox News has learned. Riibe's attorneys said Saturday that Riibe's travel document was taken by authorities "several days ago." He has not been named a suspect in the 20-year-old student's disappearance, but authorities have said he is a "person of interest" in the matter, which they consider a missing person case. "It was confiscated by authorities when he tried to check out several days ago, when the investigation began," lawyers from Guzmán Ariza, a Dominican Republican law firm, said. "He hasn't had access to it since then." Though Riibe, from Rock Rapids, Iowa, and a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, has not been accused of any crime, the 22-year-old has been intensely scrutinized since Konanki's disappearance March 6. A source close to the investigation told Fox News Digital Friday that Riibe, the only publicly known eyewitness, is considered a "key element in the investigation." Key Witness In American College Student's Disappearance Tells Police How They Met, What Happened On Beach Konanki, of Loudon County, Virginia, was staying at the Riu República Hotel in Punta Cana with five fellow Pitt students before she vanished. She was last seen on surveillance camera footage entering a beach with five other people after 4:15 a.m. March 6. Read On The Fox News App All group members except Konanki returned around 6 a.m. The 20-year-old stayed on the beach with Riibe. On Wednesday, Riibe completed a nearly four-hour interview with detectives, answering over 50 questions about the events leading up to Konanki's disappearance. Missing American In Dominican Republic: No Suspects As Search For Sudiksha Konanki Reaches One Week Riibe's parents, Albert and Tina Riibe, have denounced the investigation of their son, saying he has "been detained under irregular conditions and subjected to extensive questioning without the presence of official translators or legal counsel until Wednesday, March 12." "He has remained in his hotel room under police surveillance and has been repeatedly taken to the police station since March 6, where he has been interrogated for long hours," the statement, shared through the Riibes' attorneys, said. "This situation has raised serious concern within his family, which has led us to retain legal counsel to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights throughout this process." Riibe has reportedly told varying stories about Konanki's disappearance to authorities. According to local outlet Noticias SIN, Riibe told police he went swimming with Konanki but left after falling ill from the waves, leaving Konanki in the water. In a second version of the story, he reportedly said that he left Konanki in knee-deep water before he passed out sick on the beach. In a third story, Riibe said he saw Konanki walking on the beach before he fell asleep. Fox News Digital's Bryan Llenas, Audrey Conklin and Michael Ruiz contributed to this article source: Key witness in American college student's disappearance has his passport seized
