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Sudiksha Konanki, an Indian citizen and U.S. permanent resident, was last seen on March 6 at the Riu Republic Resort in Punta Cana.
The family of Sudiksha Konanki, an Indian student who went missing while vacationing in the Dominican Republic, has formally requested that the authorities declare her dead, according to recent reports from U.S. media outlets. Sudiksha, a 20-year-old Indian citizen and permanent resident of the United States, was last seen on March 6 at the Riu Republic Resort in Punta Cana. Despite an extensive search by both Dominican and U.S. authorities, her body has not been recovered.
Sudiksha, described as an ambitious young woman with plans to pursue a career in medicine, arrived in Punta Cana on March 3. She was traveling with five other female students from the University of Pittsburgh. According to reports, Sudiksha met Joshua Steven Riibe, a 22-year-old from Iowa, at the hotel, and the two groups of friends spent time together at the hotel bar before heading to the beach. Surveillance footage from the early hours of March 6 shows Sudiksha at the hotel bar, socializing with her friends and drinking. She was seen wearing a white cover-up as she mingled with both women and men, including Riibe, who was seen a few feet away from her on the hotel lawn.
At approximately 4:15 a.m. on March 6, surveillance footage captured Sudiksha and her friends entering the beach. Just before 5 a.m., the same footage shows five women and one man leaving the beach, but Sudiksha was not among them. Her disappearance shortly thereafter led to an intense search operation by Dominican authorities, aided by U.S. federal law enforcement.
Riibe, the last person known to have been with Sudiksha, has cooperated with investigators throughout the process. Dominican authorities interviewed him for over six hours, and he described a harrowing attempt to save Sudiksha after they were swept by a wave while swimming. He explained that Sudiksha had become tired and was struggling in the water. Despite his efforts, he was unable to rescue her, and she disappeared from sight. Riibe has not been charged with any wrongdoing, and authorities in the Dominican Republic have clarified that he is not considered a suspect.
However, the situation surrounding Riibe has taken a strange turn. Authorities in the Dominican Republic have confiscated his passport, though the reason for this action remains unclear. Since Sudiksha’s disappearance, Riibe has been under police surveillance, and he has been interrogated multiple times. His parents, however, have stated that he is fully cooperating with the investigation.
In response to the ongoing situation, Sudiksha’s family has sent a formal letter to Dominican authorities, requesting that they declare her dead, as they acknowledge that there is no foul play suspected in her presumed death. The family expressed trust in the investigation and emphasized their understanding of the legal procedures involved in such a request. They also indicated their willingness to comply with any necessary documentation or formalities.
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The family’s request comes after weeks of uncertainty regarding Sudiksha’s whereabouts. While U.S. authorities have stated that it is a missing persons case and not a criminal investigation, the lack of definitive evidence or findings has led the family to seek closure. They have acknowledged that their daughter’s death appears to be the result of an unfortunate accident, and they have expressed appreciation for the cooperation and efforts of both Dominican and U.S. officials in the investigation.
As the investigation continues, the authorities have not identified any additional suspects in the case. While it remains unclear exactly what happened to Sudiksha, her family hopes that the request for a declaration of death will help bring an end to the prolonged uncertainty.
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