Surveillance video released, ‘person of interest’ named in case
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has named a person of interest in Sudiksha Konanki’s disappearance in the Dominican Republic as surveillance footage shows the last time she was seen.
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic – The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has named a “person of interest” as the search continues for a college student missing in the Dominican Republic. This development comes amid a new video being shared in the investigation.
Joshua Riibe named ‘person of interest’ in disappearance case
What we know:
Video obtained by the Dominican Republic news outlet “Noticias SIN” shows 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki walking with friends and a young man at the RIU Republica Resort around 4:30 a.m. last Thursday, March 6.
Authorities say Konanki, her friends, and the young man walked toward the beach. While her friends returned later, Konanki and the young man remained behind.
Konanki is a University of Pittsburgh student and a permanent resident of Virginia. She and her family live in the Chantilly area.
Loudoun County Sheriff Michael Chapman told FOX 5 that Konanki went to Punta Cana with five University of Pittsburgh friends on a Spring Break vacation.
The Dominican Republic Civil Defense authorities investigating Konanki’s disappearance told FOX 5’s David Kaplan they are operating under the assumption that Konanki may have drowned based on the information they received. However, Sheriff Chapman stresses that there is still no evidence of this.
READ MORE: Virginia woman Sudiksha Konanki still missing; FBI joins search
Authorities suspect drowning, FBI leads investigation
What’s next:
Chapman identified the young man seen on video as a person of interest, naming him 24-year-old Joshua Riibe.
It is important to note that Riibe is not a suspect. There are no charges at this time, and this is still considered a missing persons investigation, not a criminal one.
There are reports that Riibe is cooperating with law enforcement, but there have also been several reports that he has given conflicting accounts of what happened.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office told FOX 5 that there are questions regarding when Konanki was first reported missing.
A spokesperson for the LCSO says they are in direct contact with the FBI on this case. The FBI is leading the investigation for the United States in this international matter.
The sheriff’s office also confirmed to FOX 5 that it is their understanding that Konanki and the 24-year-old did not know each other prior to Konanki’s visit to the Dominican Republic.
The Source: FOX 5 DC, FOX News & Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office
