Latest news with #Riibe
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Iowa student's passport seizure in Dominican Republic raises red flags for Americans traveling: What to know
The seizing of an Iowa college student's passport while under investigation in the Dominican Republic is a cautionary tale for Americans traveling abroad, who an expert said should be vigilant about protecting their travel documents. Last month, 22-year-old Joshua Riibe's passport and cellphone were confiscated as investigators tried to piece together missing spring breaker Sudiksha Konanki's final moments. Hotel surveillance footage revealed Riibe was among the last people to see Konanki alive before the University of Pittsburgh student disappeared on a Punta Cana beach after a night of drinking with friends. After Konanki's disappearance, Riibe, who authorities said was never a suspect, was holed up inside the Riu Republica Hotel under the watch of local authorities. Riibe, a student at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, remained in the Dominican Republic, unable to travel back to America, for approximately two weeks before he was able to head home. American College Student Sudiksha Konanki's Disappearance In Dominican Republic: Timeline The high-profile debacle came to a head inside a Dominican courtroom, as Riibe sat alongside his father and a translator while lawyers argued over the conditions of Riibe's hotel room detainment. The issue surrounding the return of Riibe's passport was scheduled for a later date, potentially forcing Riibe to remain in the country for a second court appearance. Read On The Fox News App "Ever since my passport was taken, it's very rare I'm alone," Riibe testified before a Dominican judge. He later added, "I can't go anywhere. I really want to be home. Hug my family and friends." While Riibe's lawyers had said his passport was confiscated, prosecutors argued that he lost it. Following the initial court proceedings, Riibe was able to obtain a provisional passport from the U.S. Consulate in the Dominican Republic. Missing American In Dominican Republic: Key Witness Joshua Riibe Leaves Country On March 19, Riibe boarded a JetBlue flight from Santo Domingo to San Juan, Puerto Rico, marking the end of his nightmare abroad. However, Riibe's escape hit a brief snag when he was held in Puerto Rico over the new passport not being properly stamped, NotiCentro reported. Last week, a Dominican judge ruled to officially close Riibe's case, granting the habeas corpus motion filed on behalf of the key witness. "On March 18th, following the conclusion of the habeas corpus hearing that ordered the release of our client, Joshua Riibe, 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." Although Riibe was able to obtain a replacement passport and subsequently return home, his experience serves as a warning for Americans who may be asked to hand over their passport for a multitude of reasons while in another country. Missing American In Dominican Republic: What's Next For Witness Joshua Riibe After Court Ruling Travelers could be asked to forfeit their passport or other identifying documents by foreign law enforcement or as collateral while enjoying an excursion, according to Kate Gladdin, an expert in international travel safety. "The reality is there are some bad fruits out there that see tourists and can very quickly get [them] in a vulnerable position because they don't have their government," Gladdin told Fox News Digital. "One thing I can say, flat out, is to never hand your passport over as a form of deposit, ever," Gladdin said. "There are stories where they're like, 'Oh, you want to hire this jet ski? OK, we can take your passport just as a deposit that you'll come back.' Do not [do it]. Put it in your safe and leave it there until [the end of your trip]." The risk of forfeiting identifying documents is an issue that hits close to home for Gladdin. In 2012, Gladdin's sister, Nicole Fitzsimons, was killed in a motorbike accident while vacationing in Thailand with her boyfriend, Jamie Keith. Fitzsimons, 24, was riding on the back of the bike when a driver riding on the wrong side of the road careened into the couple's vehicle. "She [was rushed] into surgery," Gladdin told Fox News Digital. "We had all our hearts and toes and fingers crossed that she was going to be OK, but unfortunately we did lose her in that surgery." Amanda Knox's Advice For American Linked To Punta Cana Missing Persons Case But Fitzsimons' death wasn't the end of the nightmare for the grieving family. Keith's Australian passport was seized by Thai authorities, ultimately barring him from leaving as the investigation remained ongoing. "Unfortunately, the police tried to see it differently and put us in a really uncomfortable, hard and challenging situation where they took Jamie's passport," Gladdin said. "There was no justice in Nicole's death." Gladdin also suggests vacationers carry copies of their identification documents, in the event their belongings are lost or stolen. "Every country is different," Gladdin said. "You have to take your safety into your own hands, because the rules might not always be there. But without those rules, we are without protection." Americans Traveling Abroad On Spring Break Should Know 3 Crucial Things To Stay Safe: Expert The family's fight to bring Keith home, while also grappling with the death of Fitzsimons, led Gladdin down a path of teaching parents how to instill travel safety habits in their families. "Travel is one of the most eye-opening things we can do," Gladdin said. "But help them make educated choices. I'm not against travel, but I'm for educated travel." Gladdin also points parents toward federal resources aimed at keeping Americans safe while traveling abroad. The State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program provides vacationers with the opportunity to register their trips with the government, in the event something goes wrong. "[Officials] can quickly update and get in contact with you regarding any safety or security information – whether it's like an impending cyclone or a terrorist threat – that they need to get you out of a country quickly, if they know you're there," Gladdin said. Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment. Gladdin's passion for travel safety and educating parents was born from tragedy, but she insists it does not have to be that way for other families. "Lying on the floor of my sister's closet, choosing out her funeral dress rather than helping to choose her wedding dress – there are no positives in that," Gladdin told Fox News Digital. "I think finding purpose in what you're going through, [by] leaning towards problems that are surrounding you and [finding] what you can do to help solve them. My family created a purpose in Nicole's death by looking at the problem of travel safety and doing whatever we could to solve it." Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz and Greg Wehner contributed to this report. Original article source: Iowa student's passport seizure in Dominican Republic raises red flags for Americans traveling: What to know
Fox News
04-04-2025
- Fox News
Iowa student's passport seizure in Dominican Republic raises red flags for Americans traveling: What to know
The seizing of an Iowa college student's passport while under investigation in the Dominican Republic is a cautionary tale for Americans traveling abroad, who an expert said should be vigilant about protecting their travel documents. Last month, 22-year-old Joshua Riibe's passport and cellphone were confiscated as investigators tried to piece together missing spring breaker Sudiksha Konanki's final moments. Hotel surveillance footage revealed Riibe was among the last people to see Konanki alive before the University of Pittsburgh student disappeared on a Punta Cana beach after a night of drinking with friends. After Konanki's disappearance, Riibe, who authorities said was never a suspect, was holed up inside the Riu Republica Hotel under the watch of local authorities. Riibe, a student at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, remained in the Dominican Republic, unable to travel back to America, for approximately two weeks before he was able to head home. The high-profile debacle came to a head inside a Dominican courtroom, as Riibe sat alongside his father and a translator while lawyers argued over the conditions of Riibe's hotel room detainment. The issue surrounding the return of Riibe's passport was scheduled for a later date, potentially forcing Riibe to remain in the country for a second court appearance. "Ever since my passport was taken, it's very rare I'm alone," Riibe testified before a Dominican judge. He later added, "I can't go anywhere. I really want to be home. Hug my family and friends." While Riibe's lawyers had said his passport was confiscated, prosecutors argued that he lost it. Following the initial court proceedings, Riibe was able to obtain a provisional passport from the U.S. Consulate in the Dominican Republic. On March 19, Riibe boarded a JetBlue flight from Santo Domingo to San Juan, Puerto Rico, marking the end of his nightmare abroad. However, Riibe's escape hit a brief snag when he was held in Puerto Rico over the new passport not being properly stamped, NotiCentro reported. Last week, a Dominican judge ruled to officially close Riibe's case, granting the habeas corpus motion filed on behalf of the key witness. "On March 18th, following the conclusion of the habeas corpus hearing that ordered the release of our client, Joshua Riibe, 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." Although Riibe was able to obtain a replacement passport and subsequently return home, his experience serves as a warning for Americans who may be asked to hand over their passport for a multitude of reasons while in another country. Travelers could be asked to forfeit their passport or other identifying documents by foreign law enforcement or as collateral while enjoying an excursion, according to Kate Gladdin, an expert in international travel safety. "The reality is there are some bad fruits out there that see tourists and can very quickly get [them] in a vulnerable position because they don't have their government," Gladdin told Fox News Digital. "One thing I can say, flat out, is to never hand your passport over as a form of deposit, ever," Gladdin said. "There are stories where they're like, 'Oh, you want to hire this jet ski? OK, we can take your passport just as a deposit that you'll come back.' Do not [do it]. Put it in your safe and leave it there until [the end of your trip]." The risk of forfeiting identifying documents is an issue that hits close to home for Gladdin. In 2012, Gladdin's sister, Nicole Fitzsimons, was killed in a motorbike accident while vacationing in Thailand with her boyfriend, Jamie Keith. Fitzsimons, 24, was riding on the back of the bike when a driver riding on the wrong side of the road careened into the couple's vehicle. "She [was rushed] into surgery," Gladdin told Fox News Digital. "We had all our hearts and toes and fingers crossed that she was going to be OK, but unfortunately we did lose her in that surgery." But Fitzsimons' death wasn't the end of the nightmare for the grieving family. Keith's Australian passport was seized by Thai authorities, ultimately barring him from leaving as the investigation remained ongoing. "Unfortunately, the police tried to see it differently and put us in a really uncomfortable, hard and challenging situation where they took Jamie's passport," Gladdin said. "There was no justice in Nicole's death." Gladdin also suggests vacationers carry copies of their identification documents, in the event their belongings are lost or stolen. "Every country is different," Gladdin said. "You have to take your safety into your own hands, because the rules might not always be there. But without those rules, we are without protection." The family's fight to bring Keith home, while also grappling with the death of Fitzsimons, led Gladdin down a path of teaching parents how to instill travel safety habits in their families. "Travel is one of the most eye-opening things we can do," Gladdin said. "But help them make educated choices. I'm not against travel, but I'm for educated travel." Gladdin also points parents toward federal resources aimed at keeping Americans safe while traveling abroad. The State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program provides vacationers with the opportunity to register their trips with the government, in the event something goes wrong. "[Officials] can quickly update and get in contact with you regarding any safety or security information – whether it's like an impending cyclone or a terrorist threat – that they need to get you out of a country quickly, if they know you're there," Gladdin said. Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment. Gladdin's passion for travel safety and educating parents was born from tragedy, but she insists it does not have to be that way for other families. "Lying on the floor of my sister's closet, choosing out her funeral dress rather than helping to choose her wedding dress – there are no positives in that," Gladdin told Fox News Digital. "I think finding purpose in what you're going through, [by] leaning towards problems that are surrounding you and [finding] what you can do to help solve them. My family created a purpose in Nicole's death by looking at the problem of travel safety and doing whatever we could to solve it."
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
