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Journalism of Courage
This is an archive article published on March 18, 2025
Sudiksha Konanki missing case: Parents write to Dominican officials, ask them to declare daughter dead
Konanki, a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the United States, was last seen on March 6 at the Riu Republic Resort in Punta Cana town.
The student was identified as Sudiksha Konanki, a legal permanent resident of the United States and an Indian citizen. (Photo/X/@CitizenApp)
After days of search, the family of Sudiksha Konanki, the 20 year-old Indian student who went missing earlier this month, has asked the Dominican Republic police to declare her dead, PTI reported.
Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student and Virginia resident, was last seen in the early hours of March 6, walking towards a beach near the Riu Republica Hotel with her friends. While her friends returned, she did not.
Authorities believe she stayed behind with Joshua Riibe, a man she met on the island. Hours later, surveillance footage captured Riibe leaving the area alone, making him a “person of interest” in the case. However, police have not named him a suspect. During interrogation, Riibe reportedly changed multiple times his version of what happened March 6.
After almost 10 days of search, Interpol had recently issued a Yellow Notice — an alert designed to help locate missing persons in unexplained circumstances.
What the letter said
According to NBC news, Dominican Republic National Police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira said Konanki’s family has sent a letter to the agency requesting them to a declare her dead.
The formal letter from the Konaki family acknowledged no suspected foul play involved in Konanki’s presumed death after she disappeared from a Punta Cana beach, New York Post reported.
The parents also stated that they trust the authorities’ probe into the case and noted Riibe, the last person to see their daughter alive, has cooperated with investigators.
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Konanki’s parents said that they understand the legal procedures to be followed for their request, yet they are prepared to comply with any necessary formalities or documentation, ABC News quoted sources as saying.
How is police viewing Joshua Riibe’s link to the case
US authorities have said it is a missing persons case and not a criminal matter.
Authorities in the Dominican Republic have said no one is considered a suspect in Konanki’s disappearance. However, they have confiscated the passport of Riibe, who is the last person known to have been with Konanki, CNN News reported. Riibe was questioned for more than six hours over the weekend. The interrogation is likely to continue with a local prosecutor, a source close close to the probing agency tol CNN.
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It is unclear why Riibe’s passport was confiscated even as he is not considered a suspect in the case.
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