Chilling new surveillance footage captures missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki staggering while walking arm-in-arm with an Iowa man now considered a "person of interest" in her disappearance. The search for the 20-year-old has now entered its sixth day.
Local authorities have identified Joshua Steven Riibe, from the small town of Rock Rapids, as the last known person to see Konanki alive in the early hours of March 6 at a luxury resort in Punta Cana. The newly released footage, obtained by Noticias SIN, shows Konanki and Riibe walking near the beach around 4:15 a.m., at times holding hands, while her spring break friends can be seen strolling nearby.
Chilling Final Moments Before Disappearance
Wearing a muscle shirt, Riibe is seen holding out his phone, appearing to take selfies as he and Konanki struggle to walk in a straight line, with the missing student appearing unsteady at times.
According to the Dominican Republic National Police, Konanki, who is from Virginia, and her friends had made their way to the beach after a power outage at the Riu Republica Hotel's nightclub.
Police said that most of the group left around 5:50 a.m., leaving Konanki and Riibe alone on the beach.
According to local reports, Riibe has given three different versions of events, claiming that after getting out of the rough waters, he passed out drunk on the beach—only to wake up and realize that Konanki was missing.
Chad Quinn, a spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Konanki's hometown, confirmed that Riibe was a person of interest in the case but cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
"This is not at this time a criminal investigation, so to be clear, he is not a suspect," Quinn said. "It is our understanding that he is a US citizen who was vacationing in Punta Cana, not part of the group traveling with the missing person.
"A number of people have been interviewed by the Dominican National Police with the assistance of the FBI and this is continuing. Our office will have a presence on the ground today too."
Desperate Search Continues
According to a source involved in the investigation, Riibe, a former high school wrestler with a strong build, has been "cooperative" with authorities. Authorities are also believed to be in possession of Riibe's phone but are awaiting legal approval before they can examine its contents, the Daily Mail reported.
Officials on the Caribbean island said that around 300 law enforcement officers, including the FBI, are involved in the search effort, which the agency confirmed this week. However, the rough surf has made the search more challenging.
Local authorities initially suggested that Konanki may have drowned during the early morning swim. However, her family suspects foul play and fears she may have been abducted.
In a press statement, national police officials declined to confirm whether Riibe's passport had been confiscated.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department is collaborating with the Indian embassy in the Dominican Republic, which is leading the investigation, as Konanki was an Indian citizen and a permanent resident of the United States.
Konanki, a pre-med student, was on track to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh in 2026, according to her LinkedIn profile.
