Joshua Riibe Iowa tourist id as person of interest in mystery disappearance of University of Pittsburgh student, Sudiksha Konanki during Domenican Republic spring break getaway after his story failing to add up amid conflicting accounts.
In the latest developments surrounding the case of a missing pre-med student on spring break in the Dominican Republic, Virginia authorities have now identified a 24 year old Iowa man as a ‘person of interest’ in the 20 year old woman’s disappearance.
Joshua Steven Riibe a former sporting star and high school wrestler was named a person of interest in the disappearance of University of Pittsburgh student, Sudiksha Konanki, by the the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia WTAE reported.
Authorities believe Riibe may have been the last person to see Konanki prior to her disappearance during early morning hours of March 6th.
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UPDATE | Investigation Continues for #Missing VA Student #SUDIKSHAKONANKI
📍 Punta Cana Dominican Republic 🇩🇴
Joshua Riibe, 24, another tourist at the resort, was the last known person with Sudiksha before she disappeared. pic.twitter.com/OFMAqw13xA
— 🇬🇧 Matt Blac Inc. #BeaVoice 🇺🇸 #Helpfindme 🌏 (@MattBlacInc) March 12, 2025
Iowa tourist, 24, gives conflicting accounts
Though Riibe is considered a person of interest, officials say he is not a suspect and the case is not a criminal investigation at this time.
The disclosure follows Joshua Riibe’s seemingly conflicting and changing account of what took place on the night he met Konanki. After having met earlier that evening with the other five classmates Konanki had traveled with at a bar, Konanki and Riibe, according to the 24 year old decided to stay at the shore and go swimming sometime around 4am. It’s what happens next that remained a mystery and concern that Riibe may be complicit in Konanki’s disappearance.
With the pair allegedly deciding to go for a swim in the dead of night amid alleged turbulent waters, Riibe during police questioning offered what would eventually become three different and contradictory versions of what happened.
First, he told police that, after rough surf, he threw up and returned to shore. He would then ask Konanki if she was OK. Ribe would then state that he felt sick and leaving the water. Konanki remained in the water, knees-deep, before Ribe passed out. Finally, Ribe told the police that he saw Sudiksha Konanki walking along the shore to pick up her clothes before passing out.
Further underscoring the veracity of Riibe’s claims were questions as to him initially stating he ‘presumed’ she had made it out of the waters to then, having seen her walking in knee deep water back to shore, before allegedly passing out and not coming to until just on 9am later that morning.
But perhaps more puzzling is why Ribe never sought to reach out to authorities to relay rough waters and concerns about the welfare of Konanki who in previous accounts the 24 year old had admitted seeing struggling in rough waters but not entirely sure if she survived, only to later say he’d seen her wading in knee deep water.
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Did Sudiksha Konanki drown? Why didn’t Ribe report the near drowning or actual drowning to police?
In neither instance, did Ribe seek to ascertain whether Konanki had actually survived treacherous waters nor seek out authorities about what had transpired hours earlier.
Despite Riibe being named a person of interest, Dominican Republic authorities have yet to publicly announce if they believe her disappearance to be a case of foul play.
As of Wednesday, six days after Konanki’s disappearance, local authorities stating believing that the pre-med student likely drowned.
In the days since, drones, helicopters and boats continue to search for Konanki with no sign of the missing woman who was last seen on video surveillance on March 6 around 4:50 a.m. on the beach at Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana.
Police said Konanki, who is a resident of Loudon County, Virginia, traveled with five other people from the University of Pittsburgh to the area during the school’s spring break, which began March 2 and ended Sunday.
After going to a nightclub, Konanki and a group of people went to the beach at 4 a.m. March 6. Sources said the other women traveling with the Pitt student were captured on camera at 5:55 a.m. returning to their hotel rooms without Konanki.
Riibe was captured on surveillance footage as staying behind with Konanki on the beach, according to a Dominican Republic investigative police. He would be seen once again on surveillance, at 9 am but this time all alone.
The FBI has since been briefed on the situation.
Several agencies are also involved in the search, including civil defense, firefighters, the national police and the Dominican Navy.
The University of Pittsburgh Police Department provided an update Monday, saying it is also working with the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office and the following agencies: the U.S. State Department, FBI, HSI, DEA, and the local Dominican Republic authorities.
Konanki’s parents have since traveled from Virginia to the Dominican Republic to help in the search.
