The parents of missing US college student Sudiksha Konanki are urging authorities in the Dominican Republic to officially declare their daughter deceased. This plea comes nearly two weeks after she vanished during a spring break trip in Punta Cana. In the meantime, the last individual believed to have seen her alive is seeking his release from custody, contesting the treatment he has received since the 20-year-old woman’s disappearance on March 6.
According to investigators, Konanki is thought to have drowned, and they have found "no evidence of foul play." In a heartfelt letter addressed to the government of the Dominican Republic, Sudiksha's parents, Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki, expressed their sorrow and requested that the police department begin the legal process to declare her deceased. The letter, shared with CNN by a source close to the investigation, reads, “Given these circumstances, and after much deliberation, we request that the police department proceed with the legal declaration of her death.”
They further stated, “Initiating this process will allow our family to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence. While no declaration can truly ease our grief, we trust that this step will bring some closure and enable us to honor her memory.”
A hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday for Joshua Steven Riibe, the last individual known to be with Konanki before her disappearance. Riibe, a 22-year-old senior at St. Cloud State University from Rock Rapids, Iowa, has filed a habeas corpus petition in a Dominican Republic court, claiming his rights have been violated by the police, prosecutors, and the hotel where he was staying.
Reports indicate that authorities confiscated Riibe’s passport, and he remains under police surveillance despite not being considered a suspect in Konanki’s case. Dominican Republic Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso interviewed Riibe for over six hours over the weekend. His parents previously stated that their son had been taken to the police station for questioning multiple times, claiming he was detained under "irregular conditions" and was interrogated without legal counsel or official translators until March 12. Prosecutors have declined to comment on these allegations.
Michael Chapman, the sheriff of Loudon County, Virginia, where Konanki’s family resides, stated that Riibe has been “very forthright with our detectives” and noted he did not observe any inconsistencies in his account. The details of Riibe’s habeas corpus request are expected to be made public during the upcoming hearing.
Sudiksha Konanki, who was described by her father as an “ambitious” student planning to pursue a career in medicine, arrived in Punta Cana on March 3. She was traveling with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh. Riibe recounted meeting Konanki for the first time in their hotel, where both groups mingled before heading to the bar together.
Surveillance footage captured Konanki in the Riu República Hotel bar in the early hours of March 6, socializing with friends and enjoying drinks. Reports indicate that she was seen wearing a white cover-up and engaging with her friends while Riibe was several feet away, appearing to stumble on the lawn outside the bar. At approximately 4:15 a.m., police stated that the group, including Konanki, was recorded entering the beach, but by 5 a.m., only five women and one man were observed leaving, with Konanki missing.
During his fourth interview with prosecutors, Riibe described a distressing attempt to save Konanki after strong waves overwhelmed them and she grew fatigued from swimming. He mentioned, “It took me a long time to get her out. It was difficult.” Although trained as a lifeguard, he admitted his experience was mostly limited to pools rather than the beach. He recounted struggling to keep Konanki afloat while also battling exhaustion and swallowing seawater.
Riibe last saw Konanki when she was walking in knee-deep water, claiming, “I asked if she was OK, but I didn’t hear her answer.” He later fell asleep on a beach chair, and when he awoke, he realized she had not returned to her room. Concerned friends subsequently notified hotel staff about her disappearance around 4 p.m. on Thursday.
Konanki’s sarong-style cover-up was located on a lounge chair on the beach, but authorities found no signs of violence. This case follows the tragic drowning of four tourists in Punta Cana nearly two months prior, highlighting safety concerns at the beach where Konanki was last seen.
This story will continue to evolve as officials investigate the circumstances surrounding Sudiksha Konanki's disappearance and as her family seeks the closure they desperately need.
