The parents of missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki have reportedly requested that Dominican Republic authorities declare their daughter dead, despite her body never being found.
Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was reported missing while on a Spring Break trip. Credit: Facebook
As widely reported, the 20-year-old pre-med student from Virginia was last seen in the early hours of March 6 at the Riu República Hotel & Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, while on a spring break trip with friends.
Surveillance footage shows Konanki and her friends drinking in the hotel lobby before heading to the beach around 4:15AM with two men. By 4:55AM, her friends and one of the men had returned to the hotel, leaving her alone with 22-year-old Joshua Riibe.
Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, was also vacationing in Punta Cana at the time of Konanki’s disappearance.
While he has not been charged or formally accused of any crime, authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, have labeled him a person of interest, saying he may have been the last person to see her alive.
The student disappeared while on vacation in the Dominican Republic. Credit: X
Dominican officials initially believed Konanki had drowned but later said they were not ruling out foul play.
Now, on Monday (March 17), Konanki’s family has reportedly formally requested that Dominican authorities declare her legally dead. Despite her disappearance remaining unsolved, the family stated in a letter that they do not suspect foul play, sources told ABC News.
The family also expressed trust in the investigation and noted that Riibe has been cooperating with authorities, according to local outlet Noticias SIN.
They acknowledged that specific legal steps must be followed to obtain a declaration of death and said they are prepared to provide any necessary documentation.
The request for a legal declaration of death came on the same day that Riibe’s attorney, Beatriz Santana, argued that her client should no longer be under police surveillance.
The lawyer told NBC News via email that Riibe “has been confined to the hotel since the investigation began. He is permanently escorted by the police anywhere he goes. So no, he is not free to leave,” adding that his passport was also confiscated by Dominican authorities.
Riibe also addressed the case for the first time while speaking to the outlet. “I’m just trying to help them out,” he said when asked about the ongoing investigation, adding: “The ocean is a dangerous place.”
Riibe told authorities that he and Konanki, an Indian national, were caught in rough waters after jumping into the ocean.
He claimed he was able to get both himself and Konanki out of the water but passed out shortly after. When he woke up on the beach, she was gone. Her body has yet to be recovered.
Amid growing scrutiny, Riibe’s family released a statement to WTAE, detailing the intense scrutiny their son has been under.
“Despite his full willingness to cooperate, Josh has been detained under irregular conditions and subjected to extensive questioning without the presence of official translators or legal counsel until Wednesday, March 12,” they said.
“He has remained in his hotel room under police surveillance and has been repeatedly taken to the police station since March 6, where he has been interrogated for long hours.
“This situation has raised serious concern within his family, which has led us to retain legal counsel to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights throughout this process,” they added.
Speaking to CBS News, Riibe’s family also said they hope Konanki is found as soon as possible.
