The man last seen with Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old missing student, departed the Dominican Republic after being questioned about her disappearance. Riibe, never deemed a suspect, expressed a desire to return to his family in the U.S. as her family fears she may have drowned.
Key Figure in Missing Student Case Exits Dominican Republic Amid Investigation
Key Figure in Missing Student Case Exits Dominican Republic Amid Investigation
Joshua Steven Riibe, last seen with missing student Sudiksha Konanki, has left the country following multiple interviews by authorities.
The man associated with the case of Sudiksha Konanki, a college student missing since March 6 during a spring break in the Dominican Republic, has departed the country as authorities continue their investigation. Joshua Steven Riibe, 22, had been questioned multiple times about Konanki's disappearance, with his lawyer confirming that he left for the United States on Wednesday night accompanied by his father.
Sudiksha, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, was reported missing after she was last seen near a beach in Punta Cana in the early hours of March 6. In a recent statement, her parents suggested that they believe she may have drowned. Riibe, a senior from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, had been held in the Dominican Republic for ten days.
According to reports, Riibe stated that he wanted to return home to his family after facing repeated inquiries from law enforcement. Although Dominican authorities initially confiscated his passport, his attorneys noted that he successfully applied for a new one at the U.S. Consulate.
Detectives from Loudoun County, Virginia, who are involved in the case, have indicated that Riibe was fully cooperative during interviews and suggested that he attempted to assist Konanki when she fell into the water. The search for Konanki involved extensive efforts from Dominican authorities, utilizing various resources, including drones and divers, in the hope of locating her.
As the investigation continues, Sudiksha's family remains hopeful while expressing their belief that no wrongdoing was committed by Riibe.
Sudiksha, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, was reported missing after she was last seen near a beach in Punta Cana in the early hours of March 6. In a recent statement, her parents suggested that they believe she may have drowned. Riibe, a senior from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, had been held in the Dominican Republic for ten days.
According to reports, Riibe stated that he wanted to return home to his family after facing repeated inquiries from law enforcement. Although Dominican authorities initially confiscated his passport, his attorneys noted that he successfully applied for a new one at the U.S. Consulate.
Detectives from Loudoun County, Virginia, who are involved in the case, have indicated that Riibe was fully cooperative during interviews and suggested that he attempted to assist Konanki when she fell into the water. The search for Konanki involved extensive efforts from Dominican authorities, utilizing various resources, including drones and divers, in the hope of locating her.
As the investigation continues, Sudiksha's family remains hopeful while expressing their belief that no wrongdoing was committed by Riibe.
