Authorities Identify Person of Interest in Missing Virginia Student Case
Loudoun County authorities have named Joshua Riibe as a person of interest in the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki, a missing college student in the Dominican Republic. Although Riibe is not a suspect or accused of a crime, the investigation remains focused on finding Konanki, believed to have gone missing on March 6, with officials currently treating it as a potential drowning incident.
Authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, have identified a 24-year-old man named Joshua Riibe as a person of interest in the case of missing student Sudiksha Konanki, who disappeared last week while in the Dominican Republic. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office clarified that, while they have named a person of interest, the situation does not constitute a criminal case at this time.
Recent security footage obtained from Noticias SIN, a Dominican Republic news outlet, shows Konanki with friends walking towards the beach early on March 6. Approximately an hour later, four friends returned to their hotel, but Konanki and an unidentified man were not seen on the cameras. According to reports, the man indicated that they had been swimming when they were caught in a wave, after which he fell asleep on the beach.
Although Riibe has not been charged with any offenses, Dominican authorities do not classify him as a suspect. The investigation remains centered around the fact that Konanki is still missing and not framed as a criminal investigation. She went missing during a spring break trip with friends from the University of Pittsburgh, where it is reported she was studying medicine.
Sheriff Mike Chapman confirmed that, at the time of her disappearance, Konanki was with one friend and several individuals who were not part of her travel group. These individuals were locals whom she met after arriving in the Dominican Republic. He is in communication with federal authorities, including the FBI, who are supporting local law enforcement in the investigation.
At present, authorities are treating the situation as a possible accident, believing there is a chance she drowned during her outing.
The ongoing investigation into Sudiksha Konanki’s disappearance identifies Joshua Riibe as a person of interest, yet he remains uncharged, and the situation is currently viewed as a missing person case rather than a criminal matter. The authorities continue to work with federal agencies in the Dominican Republic as they gather evidence following her last known activities before vanishing on March 6. The possibility of drowning is under consideration, but the investigation persists.
Original Source: abc45.com
