Santo Domingo. The disappearance of young student Sudiksha Konanki, who arrived in the Dominican Republic on March 3 for spring break, has triggered an intense search involving more than 300 National Police officers, tactical units, aquatic search teams, helicopters, small planes, seven Dominican Navy vessels, and state-of-the-art drones. This operation took place along the beaches of the Riu República Punta Cana resort, where Konanki was last seen.
Sudiksha KonankiA 20-year-old student at the University of Pittsburgh, she traveled with a group of friends. During her stay at the hotel complex, she met two young Americans, Joshua Steven Riibe (24) and Carter Johnson (22). According to the chronology of events, the early morning of Thursday, March 6, was crucial for the start of the tragedy.
Chronology of Events:
- 3:00 am: Konanki is caught on hotel security cameras enjoying the party with her friends.
- 4:15 am: Cameras show Konanki and Joshua Riibe walking toward the beach, arm in arm.
- 5:00 am: Other friends return to the hotel, but Konanki and Riibe do not.
- 8:52 am: The cameras record Riibe, now without shoes and without Konanki.
- 4:00 pm: The hotel issues a statement reporting Konanki's disappearance.
Testimony of Joshua Steven Riibe:
Riibe claimed that while they were in the water, a wave hit them and they both swallowed water. He said that after vomiting on the shore, he saw Konanki walking toward her belongings on the beach. Riibe then lay down on a lounge chair and fell asleep.
However, authorities found Konanki's clothes on the beach, with no signs of foul play. Sudiksha's family, who had been in contact with her until March 5, began a desperate search due to the lack of news.
Request for Legal Declaration of Death:
Given the uncertainty surrounding this case, Sudiksha Konanki's parents, Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki, have formally requested a legal declaration of their daughter's death. This step, which comes after more than a week of anguish, will allow the family to begin the grieving process and address the legal proceedings arising from her tragic disappearance.
In a letter dated March 17, 2025, addressed to Major José del C. Ramírez de la Rosa, Officer in Charge of the National Police Investigation Directorate, the parents expressed their grief and requested that Sudiksha's death be declared legally deceased. The document states that, after an exhaustive investigation, Dominican authorities believe Sudiksha may have drowned, and that the person accompanying her, Joshua Riibe, has been cooperating with the investigation, with no evidence of foul play found so far.
Habeas corpus is granted
The judge of the Criminal Chamber of the Court of First Instance of the Judicial District of La Altagracia accepts the habeas corpus petition filed by Joshua Steven Riibe.
American Joshua Steven Riibe, who is being investigated for the disappearance of Indian-born student Sudiksha Konanki, has received a favorable ruling under a preventive habeas corpus petition.
This remedy, unlike the traditional one, aims to protect a person from possible illegal or arbitrary detention, thus guaranteeing their freedom until sufficient evidence is presented to justify their arrest.
Riibe, whose case has generated significant media attention, was named in the investigations related to the disappearance of young Sudiksha Konanki.
The judge's decision is based on a request from his lawyers, who argue that there are insufficient grounds to unjustifiably deprive him of his liberty, given that the investigation is still ongoing.
