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

[arielilane]

@CStewartNews


Here is the security video of Sudiksha and Joshua Riibe who has reportedly been named a “person of interest” in her disappearance…no charges have been filed.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1899833016202952882

University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki disappeared while on spring break in Punta Cana last week. She was last seen in the early morning hours of Wednesday morning. Brand new surveillance footage shows her final moments before she was reported missing. Law&Crime’s Chris Stewart has the brand new updates on this episode of On the Case.

 

[nightowl2728]

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.

And even if he didn't do anything technically wrong (which is speculation), he could also be nervous because he doesn't actually remember what happened because he was very drunk. So maybe he's afraid there would be some sort of culpability in her death despite that not being his intention. Maybe this has spiraled more than he thought it would (which was poor foresight on his part), but maybe he was in shock the morning he walked back from the beach/very hung over and now realizing how serious the situation is.

 

[NoviceCrimeWatcher]

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.

I thought I read somewhere the girls had a planned excursion that morning. From my experience, these "excursions" usually kick off early and wrap up around 3 or 4. I also thought I saw that the other girls went on the excursion, returned, noticed she was missing, and reported it immediately. To me, the timing makes sense. I’m curious if SK was meant to join them on the excursion? I'll try and find where I saw this information.

 

[armchairagatha]

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

Definitely not premeditated but I don't know if they will ever be able to prove he had any part in this. I mean, it would be manslaughter if he pushed her into the waves because she refused his advances but with no cameras and no eye witnesses, there is no record of what actually happened. <modsnip>

 

[bestill]

My observations from the video DM released is that the now named POI seemed much more inebriated than the others in the group. The group keeps turning back watching him as the make their way down the path, he's wobbly and hanging on to Sudiksha. It's like they were checking on him. He's a much bigger guy than she is.

JMO

 

[nightowl2728]

I agree with everyone saying that the circumstances were very poor judgement on her part. 100%. It was poor judgement. But no one is saying, wow what a bad guy to not check in on her after, pushed her too far perhaps, etc. I guess we don't know that for a fact. But it's just interesting to me how our culture expects his sort of behavior, but condemns her for hers. It's sad, actually

 

[Wanderingstarsearch]

There was a comment that the friends went on an excursion/outing later that day that she went missing, before they reported her missing? Can someone provide a source for that info? I find that very odd if they did that. Made more sense that they were all just hung over and recovering.

 

[nightowl2728]

Another thing to think about is why JR changed to "person of interest" from Loudon County when he wasn't before? Like what specific facts made that change?

 

[flowershop]

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

Girl code is great but I think often times one may insist they have a handle on things and not feel the need to report back to concerned friends.

 

[dotr]

There was a comment that the friends went on an excursion/outing later that day that she went missing, before they reported her missing? Can someone provide a source for that info? I find that very odd if they did that. Made more sense that they were all just hung over and recovering.

Welcome to WS @ Wanderingstarsearch!

Missing University of Pittsburgh student was last on beach with people she met on trip, authorities say

The 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student disappeared early Thursday while on vacation at a resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

www.nbcnews.com

'Konanki’s friends went on an excursion Thursday and didn’t realize she was missing until about 4 p.m. that day, Pesqueira said.'

 

[Wanderingstarsearch]

Welcome to WS @ Wanderingstarsearch!

Missing University of Pittsburgh student was last on beach with people she met on trip, authorities say

The 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student disappeared early Thursday while on vacation at a resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

www.nbcnews.com

'Konanki’s friends went on an excursion Thursday and didn’t realize she was missing until about 4 p.m. that day, Pesqueira said.'

Thank you for the welcome and thank you for the link!
How do they not realize she is missing until after? Aren’t they all in a group doing their vacation together? Something does not add up.

 

[NervousNellie]

I, too, am curious whether Sudiksha had planned on participating in the excursion. In reality, the only thing this tells us is whether her friends could have reported her missing sooner. Not much else is changed by that information.

 

[Marie A]

Interview with Josh Riibe (well built guy last seen with his arm around Konanki and her arm around him in video of them walking to the beach in a group.)

The way they are walking from various angles of video they both appear inebriated/ not walking straight.
He is not considered a suspect in her disappearance per Dominican police.

I do think she very sadly disappeared into the ocean and drowned.
It’s sad that Josh wasn’t able to save her but my heart goes out to him too - there must be a lot of guilt he feels for leaving her in the water despite his disoriented state.
We can’t know how inebriated either one of them was but I do believe he passed out on the beach until close to 10 am after exiting the water.
It can seem fine to be out in the water and all of a sudden a big wave comes and tosses and disorients you. It’s happened to me so it’s easy to see how this could end a life.
I won’t ever enter ocean water like this again - after being tossed violently once totally unexpectedly, losing my sunglasses and coming out of my bathing suit in view of the beach lol - I like calm ocean water (like a bathtub) and without any large waves.
An ocean with waves in it is completely unpredictable.

All imho

 

[TMich6811]

Weren’t the friends also out until 4am?

 

[TMich6811]

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

This wouldn’t even make sense. I don’t understand the leap to try to find someone to murder their friend. Absolutely an accident or situation could have happened with a bunch of drunk people and an omg there goes my life moment. It’s weird they had her phone. I don’t care how they tries to get explained I find it weird. I don’t think this is the likely scenario but it’s very off

 

[nickle]

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.''

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.

Thx for the warm welcome @dotr and this makes sense as to why the sherrif is involved. Truth be told, I would want my County to get involved if I ever got lost. I am a US expat living in the DR and the locals/natives are really concerned, hopeful she will be found. The riptides are no joke and I had my own scary experience during the daylight in waist deep water a year ago. I was wading in the water, stepped on a broken piece of dead coral, which broke my toe. I lost my footting and was swept and tossed around by large waves. The ocean looks so beautiful and tranquil, but looks are deceiving. Thankfully, my son and husband were there and was able to save me. I cannot imagine the terror this whole incident is causing all closely involved with this tragedy.

 

[CityKid]

Thank you for the welcome and thank you for the link!
How do they not realize she is missing until after? Aren’t they all in a group doing their vacation together? Something does not add up.

I can see a group of six friends not necessarily going everywhere together on a vacation. Especially at a large resort, where some may prefer a beach or spa day and others might be more interested in exploring the area.

 

[Marie A]

Obviously Sudikshas friends knew she hadn’t made it back to the room when they went on their excursion that morning.
But I don’t think they were alarmed in the least.
It didn’t really matter if she had planned to join them or not- her friends very likely assumed she was still with Josh.
They likely thought she had “hooked up” with Josh/ likely gone back to his room -because they appeared to have a mutual fondness of each other with arms around each other the night before.
Also we aren’t privy to when they actually met- they could have hung out earlier in the trip.
I think her friends became alarmed when it was evident that Sudiksha had not been back to the room after they returned that afternoon. By then they would have expected her to pick up her phone/ answer their texts etc and when they realized she hadn’t been to the room at all they became alarmed and reported her missing.
I think her friends did everything right and should not be blamed for being bad friends etc.
Blame it all on “hook up culture” but her friends did everything right.
Also, they must be really good friends to stay on and help search for her rather than catching their scheduled flights back to Pitt.
All imho

 

[Curiousobserver]

Obviously Sudikshas friends knew she hadn’t made it back to the room when they went on their excursion that morning.
But I don’t think they were alarmed in the least.
It didn’t really matter if she had planned to join them or not- her friends very likely assumed she was still with Josh.
They likely thought she had “hooked up” with Josh/ likely gone back to his room -because they appeared to have a mutual fondness of each other with arms around each other the night before.
Also we aren’t privy to when they actually met- they could have hung out earlier in the trip.
I think her friends became alarmed when it was evident that Sudiksha had not been back to the room after they returned that afternoon. By then they would have expected her to pick up her phone/ answer their texts etc and when they realized she hadn’t been to the room at all they became alarmed and reported her missing.
I think her friends did everything right and should not be blamed for being bad friends etc.
Blame it all on “hook up culture” but her friends did everything right.
Also, they must be really good friends to stay on and help search for her rather than catching their scheduled flights back to Pitt.
All imho

And according to reports, they had her phone with them. How would they have contacted her to see if she were OK? They had to wait until they returned or skip the excursion.

 

[Cryptic]

I thought I read somewhere the girls had a planned excursion that morning. From my experience, these "excursions" usually kick off early and wrap up around 3 or 4. I also thought I saw that the other girls went on the excursion, returned, noticed she was missing, and reported it immediately. To me, the timing makes sense. I’m curious if SK was meant to join them on the excursion? I'll try and find where I saw this information.

You are right, there may well have been an excursion.

But... even with an excursion, I think the "girl code" was intact as Spring Break plans are likely far more fluid than the missing girl's pre medical studies (No, I never miss lab. If I am not there, I have an "emergency emergency", not a drama emergency.)

In the end, I think her friends could write off her missing a single excursion as having slept late, or having a long, late breakfast with a guy and not re charged her phone, and still be keeping the "girl code". They could of also assumed a "hook up", probably less likely for her culture, but still possible.