Who is Joshua Riibe, 24-year-old ‘person of interest’ linked to missing Indian-origin Sudiksha Konanki’s disappearance
Indian-origin Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old pre-med student from Chantilly, Virginia was last seen while on spring break with five friends at the Riu Republic Resort in Punta Cana on March 6.
Authorities in Virginia have identified Iowa resident Joshua Riibe as a “person of interest” in the case of University of Pittsburgh student who mysteriously vanished in the Dominican Republic.
Who is Joshua Riibe?
- Joshua Steven Riibe, a 24-year-old tourist from Iowa, was the last known person to see Sudiksha Konanki before her mysterious disappearance in Punta Cana.
- Originally from Rock Rapids, Iowa, Riibe is a former wrestler and football player at Central Lyon High School and a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, according to his LinkedIn profile.
- He had traveled to the Dominican Republic for a spring break trip and was a fellow guest at the same Caribbean resort.
- Riibe told police that when he woke up from his stupor, Konanki was nowhere to be found, according to Dominican news outlet El Nacional, which cited authorities.
- Authorities have not clarified whether Riibe and Konanki knew each other before meeting on the island.
- He “has been interviewed at length,” Thomas Julia, spokesperson for the Loudoun County sheriff’s office, where the missing student resides, told Fox News Digital.
- Julia emphasised that Ribe faces no accusations of wrongdoing in what remains “still a
missing person case , not a criminal case.” - “Sheriff [Michael] Chapman wants to make sure the investigation is comprehensive and includes all possible assets and techniques. We are working closely with the FBI on all of this, and they are working with the Dominican National Police,” Julia added.
What does the surveillance footage reveal?
- According to the Dominican Republic National Police, surveillance footage showed Konanki, a 5 feet 3 inches tall woman with black hair and brown eyes, walking with Riibe and friends towards the beach area at approximately 4.15 am on Thursday.
- The footage captured Konanki “clinging” onto Ribe at the Caribbean resort, as they proceeded onto the beach.
- Reports indicate that whilst Konanki and her friends were at the beach, most of the group decided to return to their hotel, leaving her on the beach with her male companion, as reported by Dominican media.
- What happened next remains unclear. According to Noticias SIN, Riibe has allegedly provided three different accounts to authorities.
- Authorities believe the pre-med student likely drowned after entering the ocean wearing a brown bikini, with reports suggesting she left her clothing on a beach chair.
- Initially, he told police he became ill from the rough surf, returned to shore, and checked on Konanki before leaving.
- In a second version, he claimed he felt sick to his stomach, left the water, and last saw her standing in knee-deep surf before passing out.
- In yet another statement, he said he saw Konanki walking along the shore before he fell asleep.
Authorities suspect the pre-med student may have drowned after entering the ocean wearing a brown bikini. Some reports indicate that she left her clothes on a chaise lounge before heading into the water.
What Sudiksha Konanki’s father said?
According to the New York Post, Subbarayudu Konanki, her father, submitted a complaint on Monday requesting broader search operations due to his increasing concern that his daughter might have been kidnapped, as her body was not found along the shore.
“She’s not found, so we’re asking them to investigate multiple options, like kidnapping or abduction,” he told WTOP-TV.
The authorities maintained that there were no indications of criminal activity at the location. The complaint further added that Konanki’s possessions, including her mobile phone and wallet, remained with her companions, which was considered unusual as she consistently kept her phone with her.
Punta Cana authorities on Tuesday said that they are conducting fresh interviews with Konaki’s five travelling companions, resort staff and others who were present with her during the early hours at the resort.
