Authorities in the Dominican Republic have not ruled out foul play in the case of missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki, as the search reaches its seventh day. In a statement, the attorney general and police said the investigation now goes “beyond an accidental event” and “examines all variables.”
Earlier reports suggested authorities initially believed the 20-year-old student drowned after entering the water following a night out with friends. “We are using all our resources to thoroughly investigate the disappearance of Konanki Sudiksha Chowdary and we understand the anguish this case causes to her family, Dominicans, and Americans,” Dominican Republic Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso said in a statement.
Mystery Deepens Further
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“As with any disappearance occurring under the circumstances of the case at hand, we are applying a holistic investigation protocol that examines all variables,” she said, adding, “The young woman’s family, as well as Dominican and American society, must be absolutely certain that we will continue to investigate until we have the response that we, the authorities, are duty-bound to guarantee.”
Konanki, 20, an Indian national from Virginia, disappeared in the early hours of March 6 while on spring break with friends at the RIU Hotel & Resort in Punta Cana.
Officials from both the U.S. and the Dominican Republic have confirmed that over 300 law enforcement officers, including FBI and Homeland Security agents, are involved in the extensive search effort.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia has named Joshua Riibe, a 24-year-old tourist from Iowa, as a person of interest in Konanki’s disappearance. However, they also clarified that he is not a suspect, and no crime has been confirmed.
Riibe, a Rock Rapids resident, has been cooperating with investigators. His aunt, Theresa Riibe, told the Daily Mail she believes her nephew, a former high school wrestler and football player, “wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
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A neighbor similarly vouched for him, stating, “I’d bet my life that Josh didn’t harm that girl. I’ve known Josh since he was a young boy,” she added. “There is no way he would harm her or have anything to do with her disappearance.”
On Thursday, a representative for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Sheriff Michael Chapman met with Riibe’s father this week. Authorities have also requested Interpol to issue a “yellow notice” — a worldwide missing persons alert — in the case.
Police Struggle to End to Conclusion
Vice Admiral Agustin Morillo Rodriguez of the Dominican Navy told Noticias SIN on Wednesday that if Konanki did drown, her body might be stuck in coral reefs, which could explain why she hasn’t been located yet.
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“The body may be stranded on the reefs, on the coral reefs, which is why the navy has deployed a team of navy and local divers to comb the entire area where there are reefs or corals,” he told the outlet. “So far, unfortunately, we have not been able to find the young woman.”
Eerie security footage showed Konanki and Riibe walking unsteadily arm-in-arm and snapping selfies at around 4:15 a.m., just moments before she disappeared from the luxury resort.
A spokesperson for the resort on Thursday dismissed reports that a power outage prompted Konanki and her friends to head to the beach early on the morning she vanished. Earlier this week, Dominican Today claimed a blackout at the hotel forced them to leave a disco and end up on the beach, where she was last seen.
However, in a statement, the hotel confirmed a power outage but clarified it occurred from early Tuesday, March 4, until just before 1:30 a.m. the next day—more than a full day before Konanki went missing.
Power was partially restored to 70 percent of the resort within two hours, with full electricity returning by 2:15 a.m. on March 6—over two hours after Konanki had disappeared, the spokesperson said.
“RIU staff acted appropriately upon being notified of the disappearance, fulfilling their duty to inform the authorities, with whom, as expected, cooperation has been absolute,” the statement said. “RIU is also fully committed to offering any support that the young woman’s family may require during these difficult days.
“Everyone at RIU shares their pain, and our thoughts and prayers are with Sudiksha Konanki and her family.”
