Latest news with #Konanki
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Criminal drug ring nabbed, gangbanger killed near popular Cancún resort frequented by American tourists
A criminal drug ring in Mexico that frequently terrorized a resort near Cancún popular with American tourists was dismantled following an undercover sting operation by law enforcement. The state attorney general's office in Quintana Roo reported that the undercover operation, carried out in a hotel located in Costa Mujeres, in the Continental Zone - aka the Hotel Zone - nabbed a criminal drug-dealing gang, whose members, they say, "constantly came to this establishment to demand services and threaten staff and sell drugs." The agency said that upon arriving at the lodging center in the pool's bathroom area, police agents were attacked by two alleged members of the gang, who were carrying firearms. One of the alleged criminals lost his life after attempting to attack the agents, while another was arrested. Judge Officially Clears Joshua Riibe In Pitt Student Sudiksha Konanki's Spring Break Dr Disappearance Investigators also seized two firearms, one of them described as exclusive to the military. Read On The Fox News App Following the altercation, police searched to find the other gang members. Reports show the incident allegedly happened at the Riu Palace hotel in Costa Mujeres, though the resort would not confirm if this was related to its establishment. Young American Tourists' Cause Of Death Revealed After They Were Found 'Motionless' At Beach Resort "Due to this case being under investigation and due to the prosecutor's office being the one who sent the official statement, we just can share its own statement," the resort shared in a statement with Fox News Digital. "This was an isolated situation, it was solved. The only person who lost his life was a suspected criminal." This latest incident comes after a University of Pittsburgh student vanished off a beach at the Riu Republica hotel in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, during a spring break trip in March. Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student from Loudoun County, Virginia, was last seen walking on a beach outside the five-star resort in the early morning hours of March 6. Oklahoma College Students Say They Were Drugged At Cancun Resort Pool Bar In Vacation Nightmare It was later revealed that the college student went swimming during a red-flag warning with a male hotel guest, who was considered a witness in Konanki's disappearance, but has since been cleared of any wrongdoing. Click Here To Download The Fox News App The parents of Konanki sent a letter to La Policia Nacional, the Dominican national police force, nearly two weeks following their daughter's disappearance, stating that "Dominican authorities have concluded that Sudiksha is believed to have drowned." Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment. Fox News Digital's Audrey Conklin contributed to this article source: Criminal drug ring nabbed, gangbanger killed near popular Cancún resort frequented by American tourists
Fox News
04-04-2025
- Fox News
Criminal drug ring nabbed, gangbanger killed near popular Cancún resort frequented by American tourists
A criminal drug ring in Mexico that frequently terrorized a resort near Cancún popular with American tourists was dismantled following an undercover sting operation by law enforcement. The state attorney general's office in Quintana Roo reported that the undercover operation, carried out in a hotel located in Costa Mujeres, in the Continental Zone - aka the Hotel Zone - nabbed a criminal drug-dealing gang, whose members, they say, "constantly came to this establishment to demand services and threaten staff and sell drugs." The agency said that upon arriving at the lodging center in the pool's bathroom area, police agents were attacked by two alleged members of the gang, who were carrying firearms. One of the alleged criminals lost his life after attempting to attack the agents, while another was arrested. Investigators also seized two firearms, one of them described as exclusive to the military. Following the altercation, police searched to find the other gang members. Reports show the incident allegedly happened at the Riu Palace hotel in Costa Mujeres, though the resort would not confirm if this was related to its establishment. "Due to this case being under investigation and due to the prosecutor's office being the one who sent the official statement, we just can share its own statement," the resort shared in a statement with Fox News Digital. "This was an isolated situation, it was solved. The only person who lost his life was a suspected criminal." This latest incident comes after a University of Pittsburgh student vanished off a beach at the Riu Republica hotel in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, during a spring break trip in March. Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student from Loudoun County, Virginia, was last seen walking on a beach outside the five-star resort in the early morning hours of March 6. It was later revealed that the college student went swimming during a red-flag warning with a male hotel guest, who was considered a witness in Konanki's disappearance, but has since been cleared of any wrongdoing. The parents of Konanki sent a letter to La Policia Nacional, the Dominican national police force, nearly two weeks following their daughter's disappearance, stating that "Dominican authorities have concluded that Sudiksha is believed to have drowned." Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment. 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
CBS News
01-04-2025
- CBS News
Judge issues full ruling clearing Joshua Riibe in Pitt student Sudiksha Konanki's disappearance
A judge has issued the full ruling clearing Minnesota college student Joshua Riibe in the 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.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Yahoo
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. Missing American In Dominican Republic: Key Witness Joshua Riibe Leaves Country 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. Read On The Fox News App 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. Missing American College Student Seen In New Hotel Security Footage Before Disappearance 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. American College Student Sudiksha Konanki's Disappearance In Dominican Republic: Timeline 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." Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz, Greg Wehner, Mara Robles, and Bryan Llenas contributed to this report. Original article source: Judge officially clears Joshua Riibe in Pitt student Sudiksha Konanki's spring break DR disappearance
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
