DR, Sudiksha Konanki, 20, Punta Cana, 6 March 2025

[CityKid]

So is that HIM in the dressy button up white shirt with print also?!?!?! Does that mean some of those clips from earlier in the evening between disco and beach??? Or why the change of shirts??? And then no shirt at all I understand is in the morning I guess after he "woke up on the beach"... But I need some help - cuz the guy in the dress shirt holding the hand of the girl in white (& they are walking alone 4:38 - 4:52), does not look like same guy as the one in the barely there muscle shirt and again with no shirt....but my eyes are bad and the video kinda sux imho. TIA. Where is Sudiksha??!?!?!?! (sadly this case seems to me a clearcut occam's razor but heck the world has gone mad so anything is still possible moo) Even in the dark, with people on the beach --- someone should have heard screaming for help & even come forward by now, but maybe the undertow was so strong she didn't have a chance....................just miffed.

Where is she?!??

BBM for focus. People who are drowning rarely scream. I nearly drowned (caught in a rip current off Cancun years ago) and couldn't make a sound, and needed several people with ropes to get me out. I'm a strong swimmer with Red Cross lifeguard training and I was helpless and literally couldn't gather the strength to yell.

The Psychology of Drowning: - Stop Drowning Now

Understanding Panic and Response in Water Emergencies Despite how it’s depicted on television and in the movies, drowning isn’t a dramatic scene with loud cries for help and frantic splashing. Realistically, drowning is usually a silent, swift process, and the psychological response plays a...

www.stopdrowningnow.org

 

[CityKid]

Yes and the friends didn’t report her missing until 4pm on return from a scheduled trip. Didnt they think to text/physically check on her on rising given they left her at the beach with unknown male?
What happened to girl code JMO

I can't find info on their accommodations; did they each have their own rooms, or did they share? Did they think SK brought JR back to her room and they didn't want to disturb her? As a woman, I can't imagine either leaving a friend on a dark beach with a strange man, or not checking on her in the morning. MOO

 

[dotr]

Mar 12, 2025
24-year-old Joshua Riibe has been named a "person of interest" in the missing person case out of the Dominican Republic.

 

[NervousNellie]

Does it seem reasonable that a Loudon County Sheriff would identify this guy as a POI from a missing persons case in the DR?

 

[nightowl2728]

I think the problems with that are one, a hotel most likely wouldn't, and shouldn't, confirm whether a guest was checked in, for both privacy and safety reasons. Two, her first name might not be listed on the check-in roster. And three, that beachfront is lined with hotels and she might not have told him which one she was staying at. I'm curious about the extent of surveillance cameras along the resort's stretch of beach and what her friends say. This story says "Konanki arrived in the Dominican Republic on March 3 with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh." I've only seen the images where she's with three other women and two men. Has anyone seen info about where JR and/or the other man were staying?

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/11/us/sudiksha-konanki-missing-what-we-know-hnk/index.html

I understand that, but my point is that a well intentioned person would likely try. Or at least try finding her friends. And certainly a hotel could check on their own if it's a safety concern (someone possibly drowning)

 

[nightowl2728]

Just my guessing: J.R. has never checked at the front desk if S.K. had returned to the hotel safely just because he could be very well aware of what happened to her that morning.
Again, I am just speculating.

That was my point. I think a normal reasonable person would do everything within their power to find out what happened if they were "unsure".

I'm thinking more and more that this was some sort of unintentional crime.. like not premeditated but things got out of hand/physical and then he didn't try to save her from the water, etc. I believe there is some level of guilt on his part or at least he felt that way, even if it wasn't cold blooded murder.

 

[nightowl2728]

I can't find info on their accommodations; did they each have their own rooms, or did they share? Did they think SK brought JR back to her room and they didn't want to disturb her? As a woman, I can't imagine either leaving a friend on a dark beach with a strange man, or not checking on her in the morning. MOO

I agree except maybe the group of girls had been hanging out with the guys for several days already and thought they were safe. Maybe they assumed given they were up until at least 4am the night before, she and him were back in his room sleeping? I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't start to get worried until later in the day. I think her friends are more of a case of bad judgement than some sort of crime. I just don't see any intent on their part for anything bad to happen to her. I just don't track how that would be the case - group of college girls go to spring break and try to find a random american man to murder their friend? I think the phone/not checking in part is just poor judgement but doesn't really have anything to do with a crime

 

[Vaderman]

That was my point. I think a normal reasonable person would do everything within their power to find out what happened if they were "unsure".

I'm thinking more and more that this was some sort of unintentional crime.. like not premeditated but things got out of hand/physical and then he didn't try to save her from the water, etc. I believe there is some level of guilt on his part or at least he felt that way, even if it wasn't cold blooded murder.

I'm starting to feel the same way. Best case scenario drunk misadventure resulted in him being unable to save her.

 

[nickle]

Does it seem reasonable that a Loudon County Sheriff would identify this guy as a POI from a missing persons case in the DR?

I find it odd and overreaching. I didn't realize Loudon County Sheriffs were also leading the investigation. Further, this is still a missing person's case. I am glad they are thoroughly investigating her disappearance and that the guy is cooperating.

MOO

 

[armchairagatha]

Despite all her bravado she came from a sheltered Indian American family. Very possible that she only wanted to make out on the beach with him and not go all the way. He definitely wanted more and thought he was getting more. I can easily see a scenario where he pushed her into the water in a drunken rage after she rebuked his advances for s*x. Maybe he realized the horror of what he did too late and passed out on the beach. Hope I am wrong. JMO.
Edit: I am Indian American myself and know the culture very well. So not making racial assumptions here.

 

[CHEL]

I agree except maybe the group of girls had been hanging out with the guys for several days already and thought they were safe. Maybe they assumed given they were up until at least 4am the night before, she and him were back in his room sleeping? I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't start to get worried until later in the day. I think her friends are more of a case of bad judgement than some sort of crime. I just don't see any intent on their part for anything bad to happen to her. I just don't track how that would be the case - group of college girls go to spring break and try to find a random american man to murder their friend? I think the phone/not checking in part is just poor judgement but doesn't really have anything to do with a crime

Agree. I also don't see this kid looking for someone to murder on Spring Break. He probably passed out and when he woke up he realized she was gone and probably thought she went back to her room so he left. If I were him I wouldn't think she went into the water and drowned. I would assume she left me on the beach because I was sleeping.

 

[smalleagles]

Despite all her bravado she came from a sheltered Indian American family. Very possible that she only wanted to make out on the beach with him and not go all the way. He definitely wanted more and thought he was getting more. I can easily see a scenario where he pushed her into the water in a drunken rage after she rebuked his advances for s*x. Maybe he realized the horror of what he did too late and passed out on the beach. Hope I am wrong. JMO.

what do you mean “all her bravado”? that she dared to go on a spring break trip with friends like any other student? And we don’t know that her family is “sheltered” simply because she is of Indian descent… racialized assumptions are not helpful.

 

[Shamrockgirl]

The person of interest is probably so terrified- I can’t imagine being held up in another country being interviewed for a crime. I wonder if his parents have also gone down there or provided a lawyer.

 

[Cryptic]

My gut is I am going with #3. Daily mail has the surveillance video on their site and he is clearly stumbling drunk with what appears to be another drink in his hand. His "three versions" of his story sound like the same story to me told by a nervous 24 year old who probably remembers very little- they went in the water, I got sick and had to come out, I passed out on the beach, but I might have seen her out of the water walking in a moment when I woke up for a minute."

Haunting footage shows missing student walking to Dominican beach

The video shows Konanki striding towards the beach in Punta Cana with Joshua Steven Ribe, the last man to have seen her alive.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Yes and the friends didn’t report her missing until 4pm on return from a scheduled trip. Didnt they think to text/physically check on her on rising given they left her at the beach with unknown male?
What happened to girl code JMO

The "girl code" may not be entirely broken.

The group returned to their resort at say what- 5:00 in the morning? My bet is that they literally "slept until noon". If so, they notified authorities with in four "awake" hours.

 

[armchairagatha]

what do you mean “all her bravado”? that she dared to go on a spring break trip with friends like any other student? And we don’t know that her family is “sheltered” simply because she is of Indian descent… racialized assumptions are not helpful.

I am of Indian American origin myself so I know that culture very well.

 

[CityKid]

I agree except maybe the group of girls had been hanging out with the guys for several days already and thought they were safe. Maybe they assumed given they were up until at least 4am the night before, she and him were back in his room sleeping? I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't start to get worried until later in the day. I think her friends are more of a case of bad judgement than some sort of crime. I just don't see any intent on their part for anything bad to happen to her. I just don't track how that would be the case - group of college girls go to spring break and try to find a random american man to murder their friend? I think the phone/not checking in part is just poor judgement but doesn't really have anything to do with a crime

I do not think her friends did anything criminal, nor do I think they wanted anything bad to happen to her. Right now, I'm leaning toward drunken misadventure, but I'm curious about what role JR played.

 

[nightowl2728]

Despite all her bravado she came from a sheltered Indian American family. Very possible that she only wanted to make out on the beach with him and not go all the way. He definitely wanted more and thought he was getting more. I can easily see a scenario where he pushed her into the water in a drunken rage after she rebuked his advances for s*x. Maybe he realized the horror of what he did too late and passed out on the beach. Hope I am wrong. JMO.

I agree with the latter part of this that maybe they both were in bad situations given the drunkenness - she just wanted some flirtation and a makeout, etc., but it was going too far and she got scared or upset (she's only 19, understandable), and he got too aggressive, heated, etc. with him being drunk as well. Maybe he got physical with her. I'm unsure where in the timeline they were in the water - before or after getting physical? I find it hard to believe he intentionally drowned her unless he hurt her beforehand (whether intentionally or unintentionally) and was trying to hide the evidence. In that case I still have an inclination that it wasn't premeditated, moreso just got out of hand and if that's the case he clearly still would be facing some kind of charges

 

[dotr]

I find it odd and overreaching. I didn't realize Loudon County Sheriffs were also leading the investigation. Further, this is still a missing person's case. I am glad they are thoroughly investigating her disappearance and that the guy is cooperating.

MOO

Welcome to WS @nickle!
March 12 2025 rbbm.
"He is a person of interest in what is still a missing person investigation," Julia said in an email. The spokesperson wasn't able to comment on whether Riibe had been the last person to see Konanki on the beach the morning she went missing.
''As the investigation into Konanki's disappearance continued on Wednesday, March 12, LCSO spokesperson Thomas Julia confirmed to PEOPLE that 24-year-old Joshua Riibe was a "person of interest" in the case. No charges have been filed.''

 

[nightowl2728]

I find it odd and overreaching. I didn't realize Loudon County Sheriffs were also leading the investigation. Further, this is still a missing person's case. I am glad they are thoroughly investigating her disappearance and that the guy is cooperating.

MOO

I could be wrong about this but I think because she's a legal resident of that County they may have that jurisdiction. And her family (who lives there) has been pushing for a more aggressive, broader investigation than what DR authorities and possibly US feds have been doing.

 

[armchairagatha]

what do you mean “all her bravado”? that she dared to go on a spring break trip with friends like any other student? And we don’t know that her family is “sheltered” simply because she is of Indian descent… racialized assumptions are not helpful.

By bravado, I mean hanging out alone with a strange man in a foreign country at 4 am on a dangerous beach known for riptides. While both are drunk to the point of throwing up. Are you telling me every student who goes on spring break does that?