Joshua Riibe, an American tourist, is being investigated in connection with the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki in the Dominican Republic. According to a police source, Riibe provided inconsistent accounts during four separate interrogations by law enforcement.
While Riibe has not been formally accused or charged with any wrongdoing, the sheriff’s office in Loudoun County, Virginia, identified him as a person of interest in the case.
Sudiksha Konanki, a student at the University of Pittsburgh, was last spotted walking along the beach at the Riu Republica resort in Punta Cana early on March 6. She was with a group of six friends on spring break.
A source familiar with the investigation reported that Konanki’s clothes were discovered on a beach lounge chair. Dominican authorities found no evidence of foul play at this time.
Although Dominican officials have not publicly identified Riibe as a person of interest, he was questioned because he is believed to be the last person who saw Konanki. As of March 13, Riibe was still in the country.
According to a source, he remains at the hotel where he was staying and is available for further questioning from Dominican and U.S. authorities.
A representative from the prosecutor’s office noted that Riibe’s story changed during the interrogations, but details about those changes were not provided.
Riibe claims he met Konanki at their hotel and that they had been socializing with friends.
A source connected to the case stated, “We are exploring all investigative paths, but at this moment, there are no clear signs of foul play.”
Security footage shows Konanki and a group of seven other individuals walking to the beach around 4:15 a.m. on March 6 after having drinks. Of those, six were seen returning to the hotel shortly before 6 a.m. Riibe returned alone at 9 a.m., as determined through interviews and the video evidence.
After hours of searching for Konanki, her friends reported her missing to hotel staff at around 4 p.m. on the same day.
On March 13, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office reiterated that Riibe remains a person of interest because he may have been the last person to see her, but he is not currently a suspect.
