Joshua Riibe gives Dominican Republic prosecutors ultimatum to either charge him or set him free as they continue to probe him over the disappearance of University of Pittsburgh student, Sudiksha Konanki in missing persons case.
The Iowa man who was the last person who saw missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki and who to date has not been identified as a suspect in her disappearance has issued Dominican Republic authorities with an ultimatum, either charge him or set him free.
The 22 year old continues to be detained, seemingly now against his will amid ongoing questioning over Konanki’s abrupt disappearance as authorities believe him to be the last person to have seen the pre med student.
In latest developments, lawyers for Riibe have issued an ultimatum stating that the 22 year old can no longer indefinitely be detained without being charged, his attorney Beatriz Santana said in a motion filed Monday, local outlet Noticias SIN reported.
Joshua Riibe leaves the Dominican Republic amid many un-answered questions
Missing pre-med student’s parents ask DR cops to declare their daughter dead
El joven turista estadounidense Joshua Steven Ribe fue captado en vídeo al momento de salir custodiado por agentes de Politur, luego de que fuera interrogado en la Fiscalía de La Altagracia como la última persona que vio a la turista india Sudiksha Konanki antes de su… pic.twitter.com/wSJB85sU5J
— Noticias RNN (@NoticiasRNN) March 13, 2025
Iowa man continues to be detained by Dominican Republic authorities despite no charges or being named as suspect
Joshua Riibe, 22, was spotted at the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, where he is under police surveillance, telling ABC overnight Monday, ‘I just hope to go home.’
Asked by the outlet if he knew what happened to Konanki, Riibe, a former high school wrestling champion responded ‘No comment.
‘It’s very sad,’ Riibe added.
The revelations comes after his uncle Richard revealed Riibe having a girlfriend at Minnesota‘s St. Cloud State University, where the 22 year old also goes to school. The identity of the girlfriend and alleged status of their relationship remained unclear.
The Rock Rapids, Iowa native has been barred from leaving the Caribbean getaway island after Dominican authorities confiscating the Iowa man’s passport as they continue to bring him in for questioning.
While the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, Konanki’s home state has identified Riibe as a person of interest in her disappearance, Dominican authorities have to date not identified him as a person of interest nor have they charged him with a crime let alone identified him as a suspect. Nevertheless, Riibe continues to be held seemingly against his will as the Iowa native seeks to return to the U.S.
Joshua Riibe friends issue release
Riibe has been grilled by National Police investigators and the Attorney General’s Office at least seven times, and was set to undergo questioning at the prosecutor’s office yet again on Monday the dailymail reported.
He was seen with investigators at the beach on Sunday, telling NBC News that he was only trying to cooperate with the investigation.
‘I’m just trying to help them out,’ Riibe told the outlet. ‘The ocean is a dangerous place.’
Over the weekend, friends of Riibe family released a statement in support of the former high school wrestler.
‘The Rock Rapids community stands behind and supports Joshua Riibe and his family,’ the statement said. ‘The Riibe family moved to town in 2015 and has been active in various school and community events and organizations.
‘They are well known and loved.’
The statement, which was released by the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office on behalf of the family’s friends, described Riibe as being devoted to ‘his faith’ and always ‘showing kindness to others.’
‘He exemplifies the values of compassion, respect and integrity that are fundamental to our church and our community.’
Iowa man ‘would never hurt a fly’
The release follows previous comments his family and locals in his Rock Rapids community made in which they claimed Riibe ‘would never hurt a fly,’ along with standing by the man’s character of someone of the highest integrity.
Complicating the investigation into Konanki’s disappearance are seemingly contradictory accounts Riibe has given authorities in the days since the 20 year’s abrupt disappearance as authorities believe him to be the last person to have seen the missing woman.
Surveillance camera footage from the all-inclusive five-star hotel showed both Riibe and Konanki vomiting at a bar at 4:05 am on March 6 before they walked to the beach.
A second camera spotted Riibe holding a cup and placing his arm around Konanki back as they trailed the group at 4:15 am. At about 4:55 am, the hotel security camera system showed two of her friends returning to the hotel.
The same camera picked up another female friend accompanied by Johnson walking into the building at 5:05 am.
The surveillance camera would show Riibe, barefoot and shirtless, as he slowly walked back to his room at 8:54am with Konanki nowhere in sight.
Iowa man contradictory accounts and ultimatum
Riibe was peppered with over 50 questions last Wednesday and told a prosecutor that he and Konanki had kissed in the ocean before they almost got swept away by a wave. In a prior account he stated seeing Konanki being taken out by waves as he fought for his own life, only to never seek assistance for the woman when he ‘woke up’ hours later after ‘passing out from vomiting.’
He also said he saved her from drowning while almost losing consciousness. The 22 year old had previously stated believing her to have made it out of rough waters, and walking in knee deep waters, ‘before passing out’ after vomiting and believing her to be safe.
Under the guidance of his attorneys, Riibe refused to answer several key questions, including, ‘if Sudiksha knew how to swim, if she made any cries for help, if he had told his friends about what happened, if he told authorities what happened on the beach along with being asked how he felt about the situation.’
Each time he replied: ‘My lawyers advise me not to answer that question and I follow their advice’, before going silent.
Dominican Republic prosecutors insisted repeatedly probing the 22 year old so they could be sure what he was saying was truthful. To date, Riibe faces no charges nor has he been named as a suspect nor a person of interest in Konanki’s disappearance by Dominican authorities.
It remained unclear if he would now be brought in for further questioning or be allowed to finally leave the Caribbean getaway.
