Mystery deepens as authorities seize the passport of Joshua Riibe, the last person seen with missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki. Dominican Republic officials are intensifying their investigation into what happened during the early morning hours at a Punta Cana beach.
At a glance:
• Joshua Riibe, an Iowa native and St. Cloud State University student, has been named a “person of interest” in Sudiksha Konanki’s March 6 disappearance
• Authorities confiscated Riibe’s passport when he attempted to check out of his hotel
• Riibe claims he and Konanki were swept out to sea by a wave, and he helped pull her back toward shore
• Surveillance footage showed Konanki and Riibe walking arm-in-arm with friends toward the beach around 5:50 AM
• Clothing believed to belong to Konanki was found on a beach chair, but she remains missing
Last Seen Together Before Disappearance
Joshua Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University, has become the focal point in the investigation of missing Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki. Dominican Republic authorities have seized his passport and ordered him to remain at his hotel while the investigation continues.
Surveillance footage captured Konanki and Riibe walking arm-in-arm with friends toward the beach in the early morning hours of March 6. The other students in their group reportedly left around 5:50 AM, leaving Konanki and Riibe alone on the beach.
While no charges have been filed against Riibe, authorities consider him a “person of interest.” He is now reportedly under constant police escort and unable to leave the country.
Conflicting Accounts Raise Questions
Riibe has provided details about what he claims were Konanki’s final moments before her disappearance. During a nearly four-hour interview with detectives answering over 50 questions, Riibe recounted how they entered the water together.
“I was a lifesaver. I grabbed her and pulled her out,” he told authorities, according to a transcript of the interview that Dominican Republic’s Noticas Sin obtained. Riibe maintains they were swept out by a large wave and he helped Konanki back toward the shore.
“The last time I saw her, I asked her if she was OK,” Riibe said. “I didn’t hear her answer because I started vomiting all the sea water I had swallowed.”
Riibe claims he then passed out on the beach after ingesting saltwater and later returned to his room. His last memory of Konanki allegedly involves seeing her walking toward her belongings on the beach.
🚨🇺🇸🇩🇴 U.S. MAN LINKED TO MISSING PITTSBURGH STUDENT HAS PASSPORT CONFISCATED IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Authorities in the Dominican Republic have confiscated the passport of Joshua Riibe, an American who may have been the last person to see missing Pittsburgh student Sudiksha… https://t.co/x0NVDzYhA0 pic.twitter.com/nMlpSKt2D3
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 15, 2025
Investigation Continues As Family Raises Concerns
Konanki was reported missing by her friends at around 4 PM on March 6, nearly ten hours after she was last seen. Authorities later found clothing believed to belong to Konanki on a lounge chair at the beach.
Riibe’s parents, Albert and Tina Riibe, have criticized the investigation, claiming their son has been “detained under irregular conditions and subjected to extensive questioning without the presence of official translators or legal counsel until Wednesday, March 12.” Nevertheless, Riibe maintains he is cooperating with authorities.
“I’m just trying to help them out,” he told NBC News. “The ocean is a dangerous place.”
When asked about Riibe’s status, his lawyers were clear: “No, he is not free to leave.” The investigation continues and all efforts to find Konanki have so far proved unsuccessful.
