Importance Score: 45 / 100 🔵
Dominican Judge Dismisses Case Against American Man in Sudiksha Konanki Disappearance
In a significant development in the Sudiksha Konanki disappearance case, a judge in the Dominican Republic has officially dismissed the case against Josh Riibe, the American man who was the last individual to see the University of Pittsburgh student before she went missing in Punta Cana. This ruling concludes the legal proceedings against Riibe, who had been under scrutiny following Konanki’s vanishing from the Riu Republica Resort.
Case Dismissal and Riibe’s Return to the US
Josh Riibe, 22, returned to the United States on March 22nd after being caught in the middle of the perplexing case. His passport had been confiscated, requiring him to remain in the Dominican Republic under close observation. Riibe was considered a person of interest as he was the last known individual to be with Sudiksha Konanki before she disappeared from the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana during the early hours of March 6th.
Legal Actions and Judge’s Decision
Riibe’s legal team submitted a writ of habeas corpus, urging authorities to either formally charge him or permit his return home. A judge granted this petition on March 18th. This legal action coincided with a plea from Konanki’s parents to the Dominican National Police to declare their daughter legally deceased.
Judge Edwin Rijo, presiding over the Criminal Chamber of the Court of First Instance of La Altagracia, formalized the decision on Friday. He released the complete legal justification, officially concluding the investigation and exonerating Riibe, as reported by WJLA.
Timeline of Events and Investigation Details
Dominican authorities initially identified Riibe as a person of interest, initiating an extensive search for 20-year-old Konanki after she disappeared from the beach of the Riu Republica Hotel in the early morning hours of March 6th. Surveillance footage from the five-star resort showed Riibe, Konanki, his friend Carter Joseph, and three of Konanki’s female companions walking towards the beach at approximately 4:15 am.
Josh Riibe, 22, returned to the United States on March 22 after finding himself at the center of the chaotic case
He was the last person to have been seen with Konanki before she went missing from the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana in the early hours of March 6
Surveillance footage indicated that two of Konanki’s friends returned to their rooms at 4:55 am, followed by Joseph and another young woman at 5:05 am. Riibe was seen on camera returning to his room shirtless and barefoot at 8:54 am, without Konanki.
Subsequently, authorities confiscated Riibe’s cell phone and passport, preventing him from leaving the country and confining him to the resort under surveillance.
Conflicting Statements and Police Questioning
Riibe, a former high school wrestler, provided inconsistent and confusing accounts of the events that transpired on the beach. He initially informed police that he and Konanki went swimming and were overwhelmed by a large wave. He stated he utilized his lifeguard training to pull her back towards the shore, but claimed he last saw her waist-deep in the water.
According to Riibe’s account, he managed to exit the water and lost consciousness on a sunbed. Konanki has not been seen since. During a subsequent round of questioning on March 12th, Riibe told a prosecutor that they had consumed alcohol on the beach and then kissed in the ocean when they were caught by waves.
In response to numerous questions, particularly regarding his honesty, Riibe declined to answer. He was also questioned about Konanki’s swimming ability, any signals or cries she may have made in the sea, whether he contacted the police or hotel staff, if he informed his friends of the incident, and his overall feelings about the situation.
Riibe was captured on surveillance video with Konanki and a group of her friends walking to the beach in Punta Cana around 4am on March 6
Riibe claimed they had kissed in the ocean before they almost got swept away and had to save her from drowning. Riibe (pictured the next day) said he passed out and woke up on the beach
To each question, Riibe responded, ‘My lawyers advise me not to answer that question, and I am following their advice,’ before remaining silent.
Parents’ Grief and Acceptance
Konanki’s bereaved parents have stated they now believe their daughter likely drowned and that Riibe was not responsible for her death. ‘Authorities on both sides have demonstrated the high ocean waves at the time of the incident, and both sides have clarified that the person of interest was not a suspect from the outset,’ her father, Subbarayudu Konanki, told The New York Post.
‘It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that we are accepting the fact that our daughter has drowned,’ he added. ‘This is incredibly challenging for us to process.’
They also requested that Riibe be permitted to depart the island nation and return home.
Riibe’s Account and Interaction with Konanki’s Mother
Riibe asserts that he has communicated with Konanki’s grieving mother, revealing in court that she embraced and thanked him for pulling her daughter from the ocean prior to her baffling disappearance.