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Parents Of Missing American Student Request Dominican Authorities To Declare Her Death  – One America News Network

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Sudiksha Konanki (Handout)
Sudiksha Konanki, 20. (Handout)

OAN Staff Abril Elfi 
11:00 AM – Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The parents of the 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student that went missing during a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic have asked local police to officially declare her death — even though it’s been less than two weeks since she first vanished. 

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Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki told Dominican authorities that they believe and accept the story of Joshua Riibe, the 22-year-old male suspect in the case, who is believed to be the last person that saw their daughter alive — after video footage captured the two socializing.

Riibe is a St. Cloud University student who is originally from Rock Rapids, Iowa.

On March 6th, Sudiksha Konanki vanished while on spring break in the Dominican Republic.

According to surveillance video, she walked down to the beach with seven other people at around 4:15 a.m. However, most of the group was seen coming back at around 6 a.m., leaving her alone with Riibe — though he eventually came back without her, hours later.

“Following an extensive search, Dominican authorities have concluded that Sudiksha is believed to have drowned,” her parents wrote in a letter to La Policia Nacional, the country’s national police force, Monday night. “Her clothes were discovered on a beach near where she was last seen. The individual last seen with her is cooperating with the investigation, and no evidence of foul play has been found.”

Her parents announced that they made the request after “much deliberation,” and they thanked supporters for the international search effort.

“Initiating this process will allow our family to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence,” her parents wrote. 

“While no declaration can truly ease our grief, we trust that this step will bring some closure and enable us to honor her memory.”

On Tuesday, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, where the Konanki family lives, said in a statement that: “the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki is tragic, and we cannot imagine the grief her family has been feeling. We have supported them throughout to ensure a rigorous, wide-ranging investigation. We have also met personally with them and continue to provide emotional support through our Victim Advocate Unit.”

“Sudiksha’s family has expressed their belief that she drowned. While a final decision to make such a declaration rests with authorities in the Dominican Republic, we will support the Konanki family in every way possible as we continue to review the evidence and information made available to us in the course of this investigation. We thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dominican National Police for their dedication to this investigation and collaboration,” they continued. 

22-year-old Riibe has not been accused of murder, but he has been held under surveillance at the resort since Sudiksha was reported missing. Nevertheless, in relation to the authorities, his family has argued that his required continued stay in the country is “irregular.” Officials in the country have also confiscated his passport while investigating his version of events.

According to a transcript of Riibe’s interview with police, obtained by Fox News, Riibe claimed that he last saw her on the beach after they were both pulled offshore in a strong current. He also claims that they both struggled to get back to land, and that he last saw her walking away in knee-deep water. Soon after, he then allegedly “vomited and fell asleep on a chair.”

A hearing on the habeas petition is scheduled on Tuesday afternoon, according to sources, but this could change. A habeas petition is a legal action that allows a person in custody to challenge the legality of their detention, seeking release or a reduction in their sentence if the detention violates their Constitutional rights. 

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