Missing Dominican Republic Tourism Case Says “People Who Are Interested” – Country
Joshua Riibe, the man believed to be the last to meet Sudiksha Konanki, disappeared in the Dominican Republic on March 6, breaking his silence after his passport caught by the authorities.
Last week, the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, Konanki, a biology student, told NBC News that U.S. investigators have identified people of interest.
Konanki's surveillance footage shows the missing student arm with Riibe while two women walk behind her as they leave the building. Riibe, 22, a college student from Minnesota, has been “confined” to Riu Republica in Punta Cana, met Konanki for the last time before she disappeared.
Riibe law firm is working with NBC News: “He was permanently escorted by police.” He added that he “can’t leave freely.”
“I just want to help them,” Ribe said. “The ocean is a dangerous place.”
Riibe has not been charged with any crime, according to interview records obtained by NBC News. (Global news has not yet viewed the transcript independently.)
Riibe told local investigators that he and Konanki were “in the deep water, talking and kissing a little” when a big wave crashed into them and swept them both “toward the sea”.
I reportedly tried to get her to breathe, but that didn't keep me breathing and I swallowed a lot of water. ” Ribe said, according to reports.
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Former lifeguard Riibe told investigators he had returned himself and Konanki safely back to shore.
“It took me a long time to take her away, and it was difficult,” the transcript said. “I was a lifeguard in the pool, not in the sea.
“I held her in front of me when I finally got to the ground on the beach. She didn’t come out of the water, her knees were tilted at a certain angle from the water.
“The last time I saw her, I asked her if she was okay. I didn't hear her answer because I started vomiting all the sea water I was swallowing.”
Ribe said he looked around after vomiting and assumed that Conanki had left the beach.
“I looked around and saw no one. I thought she grabbed her stuff and left,” he added.
A representative of the Dominican Republic authorities said in the latest news on March 14 that “Joshua Steven Riibe, identified as “a person of interest”, is still in custody and is being questioned at the National Police Department of Gender Violence to gather more information about the incident.”
“He will continue to be detained as long as the authorities consider Joshua Steven Riibe a key element of the investigation,” the notice said.
“We are using all our resources to thoroughly investigate the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki and understand the pain that this case has caused her family, Dominican citizens and Americans,” Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso said on March 12: “As with the disappearance of any case, in the case at hand, we are reviewing the overall investigation protocol to review all VORIASEBLES of all Voriaia’’’’’’.
Surveillance video released last week showed Riibe leaving the beach area at 9:55 a.m. without signs of konanki. Riibe's family told local media that their son was “deeply frustrated” about the disappearance of Konanki. They also said that Ribe “had completely collaborated from the outset to search and clarify the facts.”
Their son was “detained in irregular situations”, they said.
“He has been staying in his hotel room under police surveillance and has been repeatedly taken to the police station since March 6, where he was questioned for a long time,” Ribey's parents said. “This situation has attracted serious concern within his family, which has left us with legal counsel to ensure he ensures his safety and protects his rights in the process.
“Joshua, a 22-year-old college student at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, is pursuing a degree in land surveys. He is a beloved son, brother and friend, known for his kind nature, sense of humor and commitment to the community.
“Over his life he showed a strong dedication to those around him, participating in sports, student activities and volunteering. His faith and values guided his path, and those who knew him could prove his integrity and kind heart.”
“It's a complicated and painful situation for all the parties involved,” his parents said.
“We believe that the investigation will be conducted with transparency and justice. Our only interest is to respect legitimate procedures and act on the basis of the situation,” they said. “We asked everyone to pray to find Sudix Sha and go back to their family.”
Last week, Dominican President Luis Abinader told reporters that Konanki's disappearance was an accident under investigation.
“We are worried,” he said in a weekly meeting with the press on March 10. “All government agencies are searching… because the latest information we got from one of them, from the last person with the young woman, according to the report, what he said was that on the beach, a wave fell into the beach.”
Abinader defends the safety of tourists in the Dominican Republic, saying the country receives more than 11 million tourists each year, which rarely appears.
The RIU hotel chain said in a statement on March 9 that it “attention deeply to the disappearance of one of our guests.”
“From the moment she was reportedly absent, we have been working closely with local authorities, including the police and the navy, to conduct a thorough search,” the hotel said. “We want to express our deepest sympathy to family and friends during this extremely difficult time … we are completely committed to doing everything we can to assist in this situation.”
