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Fox News
19-03-2025
- Fox News
Parents of missing American college student share why they asked for daughter's death declaration
The parents of Sudiksha Konanki, the University of Pittsburgh student who went missing from the Dominican Republic on March 6, have spoken out after telling authorities to declare their daughter dead. Their statement comes after they sent a letter to La Policia Nacional, the Dominican national police force, on Monday stating that "Dominican authorities have concluded that Sudiksha is believed to have drowned." "Both sides of the authorities have shown us how high the ocean waves were at the time of the incident," Subbarayudu Konanki, Sudiksha's father, told reporters on Tuesday, adding that her death has been "difficult to process." Sudiksha Konanki was reported missing on March 6 from the resort where she was staying in Punta Cana. It was later revealed that the 20-year-old college student went swimming during a red-flag warning with a male hotel guest, who is considered a witness in Konanki's disappearance but not a suspect or person of interest. "It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we are coming to the terms with the fact that our daughter is gone," Subbarayudu said Tuesday. "We were going through too much pain all these days, and we were saddened, and we were not able to believe this." The witness, 22-year-old Joshua Riibe of Iowa, apparently told Dominican authorities that while they were swimming, a large wave crashed over them, according to a translated transcript of his interview to police shared with Fox News. He said he tried to help her and last saw her wading through knee-deep water. He then began vomiting up seawater and noticed that Konanki was no longer in sight and assumed she had returned to her hotel room. Riibe said he fell asleep in a beach chair before eventually returning to his room. Hotel surveillance footage shows Riibe returning to his hotel room around 9 a.m. on March 6. Police "clarified that the person of interest is not a suspect," Subbarayudu told reporters. "Keep our daughter in your prayers," he said, adding that he and his wife have other children to care for as they "try to move on" with their lives. He said Sudiksha was "very bright" and "wanted to pursue medicine," which is why she had enrolled in pre-med at Pitt. Subbarayudu also said he and his wife believe in the authorities "100%." The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Virginia, where Konanki is from, issued a Tuesday statement sharing her family's belief that she drowned. "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 as we continue to review the evidence and information made available to us in the course of this investigation," the sheriff's office said. Ribbe, who is believed to be one of the last people seen with Konanki, had a hearing Tuesday concerning his writ of habeas corpus, or his challenge to the Dominican Republic's decision to confiscate his passport and hold him in the country since March 6. A judge ultimately agreed with Riibe that he had been unlawfully detained, and he has another hearing scheduled for March 28. It was not immediately clear when he might be able to leave the Dominican Republic. Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota who has not been accused of a crime but is considered a crucial witness in the case, had been held under surveillance at the resort since Konanki was reported missing. His family has called his continued required presence in the country "irregular."
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Yahoo
Missing American Sudiksha Konanki's family asks Dominican police for declaration of death
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — The parents of a missing University of Pittsburgh spring breaker have asked Dominican police for a declaration of death nearly two weeks after she vanished from a five-star resort in the beach town of Punta Cana, telling authorities they accept the story of the lone publicly known eyewitness. Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki are not disputing the story of Joshua Riibe, a 22-year-old Iowa man and fellow spring breaker who is believed to be the last person who saw their daughter alive, according to a letter they sent to Dominican police on Monday. Her father had previously asked police to investigate all possibilities. Sudiksha Konanki, 20, vanished on March 6 after she went to the beach with seven other people around 4:15 a.m., according to surveillance video. Most of her group was seen coming back around 6 a.m., leaving her alone with Riibe, though he came back without her hours later. Konanki's family did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter, which has been obtained by Fox News. Key Witness Asks Court To End De Facto House Arrest "Following an extensive search, Dominican authorities have concluded that Sudiksha is believed to have drowned," her parents wrote in a letter to La Policia Nacional, the country's national police force, Monday night. "Her clothes were discovered on a beach near where she was last seen. The individual last seen with her is cooperating with the investigation, and no evidence of foul play has been found." Read On The Fox News App They said they made the request after "much deliberation" and thanked supporters for the international search effort. Key Witness In American College Student's Disappearance Tells Police How They Met, What Happened On Beach "Initiating this process will allow our family to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence," the grieving parents wrote. "While no declaration can truly ease our grief, we trust that this step will bring some closure and enable us to honor her memory." Read the Konanki letter: Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota who has not been accused of a crime but is considered a crucial witness in the case, has been held under surveillance at the resort since Konanki was reported missing. His family has called his continued required presence in the country "irregular." Hotel Horror Stories Emerge After American College Student Goes Missing As Resort Insists No Connection In a leaked transcript of an interview with police, he allegedly told detectives he last saw her on the beach after they were both pulled offshore in a strong current. Riibe said after struggling back to land, he last saw her walking away in knee-deep water, and then he vomited and fell asleep on a chair, according to a transcript obtained by Fox News. On Monday, his attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus, challenging his de facto detention in the country. He has been holed up in the Riu Republica resort since Konanki vanished. They were both staying there for spring break vacations when they met. Riibe is not accused of a crime, but authorities confiscated his passport while investigating his version of events. A hearing on the habeas petition is expected to be held Tuesday afternoon, sources said, but the timing could article source: Missing American Sudiksha Konanki's family asks Dominican police for declaration of death
Fox News
18-03-2025
- Fox News
Missing American Sudiksha Konanki's family asks Dominican police for declaration of death
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — The parents of a missing University of Pittsburgh spring breaker have asked Dominican police for a declaration of death nearly two weeks after she vanished from a five-star resort in the beach town of Punta Cana, telling authorities they accept the story of the lone publicly known eyewitness. Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki are not disputing the story of Joshua Riibe, a 22-year-old Iowa man and fellow spring breaker who is believed to be the last person who saw their daughter alive, according to a letter they sent to Dominican police on Monday. Her father had previously asked police to investigate all possibilities. Sudiksha Konanki, 20, vanished on March 6 after she went to the beach with seven other people around 4:15 a.m., according to surveillance video. Most of her group was seen coming back around 6 a.m., leaving her alone with Riibe, though he came back without her hours later. Konanki's family did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter, which has been obtained by Fox News. "Following an extensive search, Dominican authorities have concluded that Sudiksha is believed to have drowned," her parents wrote in a letter to La Policia Nacional, the country's national police force, Monday night. "Her clothes were discovered on a beach near where she was last seen. The individual last seen with her is cooperating with the investigation, and no evidence of foul play has been found." They said they made the request after "much deliberation" and thanked supporters for the international search effort. "Initiating this process will allow our family to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence," the grieving parents wrote. "While no declaration can truly ease our grief, we trust that this step will bring some closure and enable us to honor her memory." Read the Konanki letter: Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota who has not been accused of a crime but is considered a crucial witness in the case, has been held under surveillance at the resort since Konanki was reported missing. His family has called his continued required presence in the country "irregular." In a leaked transcript of an interview with police, he allegedly told detectives he last saw her on the beach after they were both pulled offshore in a strong current. Riibe said after struggling back to land, he last saw her walking away in knee-deep water, and then he vomited and fell asleep on a chair, according to a transcript obtained by Fox News. On Monday, his attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus, challenging his de facto detention in the country. He has been holed up in the Riu Republica resort since Konanki vanished. They were both staying there for spring break vacations when they met. Riibe is not accused of a crime, but authorities confiscated his passport while investigating his version of events. A hearing on the habeas petition is expected to be held Tuesday afternoon, sources said, but the timing could change.
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Yahoo
Dominican attorney general grills witness in missing American case at his resort in person
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic – The top prosecutor in the Dominican Republic interviewed Iowa 22-year-old Joshua Riibe at his hotel in Punta Cana for hours Saturday, personally questioning the lone publicly known eyewitness in the disappearance of Virginia 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki. Yeni Berenice Reynoso, the Dominican attorney general, grilled Riibe in person to wrap up a week that included multiple interviews with detectives from several agencies, including La Policia Nacional, the country's police force, and detectives from Loudoun County, Virginia, Konanki's hometown. Reynoso's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Both Riibe and Reynoso's entourage were seen coming and going from a room in the Riu Republica hotel for hours Saturday evening, and his lawyers later confirmed he was being questioned by the AG herself. While Riibe has not been named a suspect, nor has any crime been alleged, authorities have described him as a "key element" in the missing person investigation. He has been joined in the country by his parents. Riibe, Konanki and their friends were staying at the resort for spring break. Missing American In Dominican Republic: No Suspects As Search For Sudiksha Konanki Reaches One Week Riibe's parents on Friday said he had been subjected to "irregular treatment" for more than a week. Read On The Fox News App "Despite his full willingness to cooperate, Josh has been detained under irregular conditions and subjected to extensive questioning without the presence of official translators or legal counsel until Wednesday, March 12," his parents, Albert and Tina Riibe, said through their attorneys. American College Student Disappears In Dominican Republic: Timeline "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. 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," they said. Authorities also revealed Saturday that Riibe's passport has been confiscated. Missing American In Dominican Republic: No Suspects As Search For Sudiksha Konanki Reaches One Week Konanki was last seen entering the beach behind the resort with a group that included her female friends from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as two men, one of whom has been identified as Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. Dominican law, similar to that in the U.S., requires detained people to be released within 48 hours if they are not charged. A State Department spokesperson said U.S. authorities were aware of the situation, but could not comment on specifics due to "privacy and other considerations." "The Department has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad," the spokesperson said. Hotel Horror Stories Emerge After American College Student Goes Missing As Resort Insists No Connection A source close to the investigation told Fox News Digital on Friday that Riibe remains a "key element" in the investigation who would face "intensified" questioning. The source said authorities are also taking a closer look at phone records from Konanki and other witnesses, including the people she was seen with entering the beach before she vanished. Konanki, Riibe and their friends were seen entering the beach behind the Riu Republica five-star resort around 4:15 a.m. on March 6. All of them except Konanki returned. Six of them were seen leaving the beach around 6 a.m. Riibe returned alone just before 10 a.m. Konanki was reported missing by her friends at 4 p.m. that day and remains missing. Unpredictable Ocean Currents, Beachfront Pose Major Search Challenge Riibe, according to a leaked transcript of one of his police interviews obtained by Fox News, told police that he and Konanki were struck by a strong wave and swept offshore. They battled the current, and he brought her back to land. Then he said he last saw her walking away in knee-deep water toward her belongings, as he threw up and then fell asleep on a beach chair When he woke up, she was gone, he said. The same resort saw four European tourists drown in one incident in January. Their remains were all recovered within 48 hours. The search for Konanki has expanded up the coastline, involving hundreds of personnel, helicopters, planes, boats, dive teams, K9s and drones, including new AI-equipped models. "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," Riibe's parents said Friday. "Joshua Riibe is deeply dismayed by her disappearance and has fully cooperated in the search and clarification of the facts from the very beginning."Original article source: Dominican attorney general grills witness in missing American case at his resort in person
Fox News
16-03-2025
- Fox News
Dominican attorney general grills witness in missing American case at his resort in person
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic – The top prosecutor in the Dominican Republic interviewed Iowa 22-year-old Joshua Riibe at his hotel in Punta Cana for hours Saturday, personally questioning the lone publicly known eyewitness in the disappearance of Virginia 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki. Yeni Berenice Reynoso, the Dominican attorney general, grilled Riibe in person to wrap up a week that included multiple interviews with detectives from several agencies, including La Policia Nacional, the country's police force, and detectives from Loudoun County, Virginia, Konanki's hometown. Reynoso's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Both Riibe and Reynoso's entourage were seen coming and going from a room in the Riu Republica hotel for hours Saturday evening, and his lawyers later confirmed he was being questioned by the AG herself. While Riibe has not been named a suspect, nor has any crime been alleged, authorities have described him as a "key element" in the missing person investigation. He has been joined in the country by his parents. Riibe, Konanki and their friends were staying at the resort for spring break. Riibe's parents on Friday said he had been subjected to "irregular treatment" for more than a week. "Despite his full willingness to cooperate, Josh has been detained under irregular conditions and subjected to extensive questioning without the presence of official translators or legal counsel until Wednesday, March 12," his parents, Albert and Tina Riibe, said through their attorneys. "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. 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," they said. Authorities also revealed Saturday that Riibe's passport has been confiscated. Konanki was last seen entering the beach behind the resort with a group that included her female friends from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as two men, one of whom has been identified as Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. Dominican law, similar to that in the U.S., requires detained people to be released within 48 hours if they are not charged. A State Department spokesperson said U.S. authorities were aware of the situation, but could not comment on specifics due to "privacy and other considerations." "The Department has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad," the spokesperson said. A source close to the investigation told Fox News Digital on Friday that Riibe remains a "key element" in the investigation who would face "intensified" questioning. The source said authorities are also taking a closer look at phone records from Konanki and other witnesses, including the people she was seen with entering the beach before she vanished. Konanki, Riibe and their friends were seen entering the beach behind the Riu Republica five-star resort around 4:15 a.m. on March 6. All of them except Konanki returned. Six of them were seen leaving the beach around 6 a.m. Riibe returned alone just before 10 a.m. Konanki was reported missing by her friends at 4 p.m. that day and remains missing. Riibe, according to a leaked transcript of one of his police interviews obtained by Fox News, told police that he and Konanki were struck by a strong wave and swept offshore. They battled the current, and he brought her back to land. Then he said he last saw her walking away in knee-deep water toward her belongings, as he threw up and then fell asleep on a beach chair When he woke up, she was gone, he said. The same resort saw four European tourists drown in one incident in January. Their remains were all recovered within 48 hours. The search for Konanki has expanded up the coastline, involving hundreds of personnel, helicopters, planes, boats, dive teams, K9s and drones, including new AI-equipped models. "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," Riibe's parents said Friday. "Joshua Riibe is deeply dismayed by her disappearance and has fully cooperated in the search and clarification of the facts from the very beginning."
