The search for Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student who vanished during a spring break trip to Punta Cana, continues as authorities identify a person of interest and scrutinize new surveillance footage.
Konanki, originally from Chantilly, Virginia, was last seen in the early hours of March 6, 2025, at the Riu República Hotel in Punta Cana. Surveillance footage from approximately 4:15 a.m. shows her walking toward the beach with two men and three women. In the video, she is seen arm-in-arm with a blond man identified as a “male friend.”
The group had reportedly left a local nightclub due to a power outage and proceeded to the beach. Around 5:55 a.m., most of the group returned to the hotel, leaving Konanki and the male friend on the beach. The man later claimed he became ill, left the water, passed out on the beach, and awoke to find Konanki missing.
Authorities have identified the man last seen with Konanki as 24-year-old Joshua Steven Riibe, a former high school wrestler from Iowa and current student at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. Riibe is considered a person of interest but is not officially a suspect. He has cooperated with investigators, providing his account of the events leading up to Konanki’s disappearance.
Dominican authorities, with assistance from the FBI and the Embassy of India, have deployed extensive resources in the search for Konanki. Approximately 300 personnel, including drones, helicopters, and detection dogs, are involved in the operation. Despite these efforts, no significant leads have emerged, and Konanki’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Konanki’s family, who have traveled to Punta Cana to assist in the search, are skeptical of the drowning theory proposed by local authorities. They have urged investigators to consider the possibility of abduction or foul play, emphasizing that Konanki was a strong swimmer and familiar with beach environments.
The investigation remains active, with authorities re-interviewing individuals present during the incident and analyzing surveillance footage for additional clues. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, hoping for a resolution that brings clarity to Konanki’s disappearance.
Sources:
- What We Know About the Disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki
- Missing Pitt student Sudiksha Konanki seen staggering while arm-in-arm with ‘person of interest’
- New Video Shows Missing College Student Shortly Before She Vanished on Spring Break in Punta Cana
- Eerie footage of missing student Sudiksha Konanki emerges as Natalee Holloway investigator insists ‘somebody took her’
- What to know about US student Sudiksha Konanki, who vanished in Dominican Republic on spring break
