Joshua Riibe, the last person seen with missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki, has had his passport confiscated by Dominican Republic authorities as they continue to investigate her disappearance. Riibe, a 22-year-old senior at Minnesota’s St. Cloud State University, has been confined to a hotel in Punta Cana since Konanki went missing on March 6, according to his attorneys.
In an exclusive interview with NBC News, Riibe stated, “I’m just trying to help them out,” adding, “The ocean is a dangerous place,” as he explained the events that led to Konanki’s disappearance. Riibe claims that he and Konanki were in waist-deep water at the beach at around 4 a.m. when a wave swept them out to sea. Riibe said he rescued her, then collapsed on the beach due to exhaustion.
However, CCTV footage showed Riibe walking alone back to the resort at 9:55 a.m., and Konanki’s friends reported her missing later that afternoon. This raised questions about Riibe’s account, and his lawyer confirmed that he has been under police surveillance. “He has been confined to the hotel since the investigation began,” his legal representative told NBC News on Saturday. “He is permanently escorted by the police anywhere he goes. So no, he is not free to leave.”
Despite being closely monitored, Riibe has not officially been named as a suspect in Konanki’s disappearance. Dominican authorities are working with U.S. law enforcement, including the FBI and Interpol, as they continue to search for Konanki. A “yellow notice,” a global missing person alert, has been issued. Authorities have not provided any new updates regarding her whereabouts.
Konanki, 20, from Chantilly, Virginia, disappeared after spending the evening at the Riu Republica hotel with a group of friends, including Riibe. The Dominican authorities have pledged to continue their search, with global law enforcement agencies joining the investigation.
