The search for 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki has taken a new turn as Dominican authorities confirm that a male companion is under investigation. Konanki vanished from the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana on March 6, sparking an urgent search effort.
According to La Policia Nacional, Konanki was last seen in the early morning hours on the resort’s beach. Surveillance footage reportedly captured her walking towards the water with friends around 4:15 a.m. However, her whereabouts remain unknown, and investigators are now focusing on a young man who was with her that night.
While officials have not publicly named the individual, Dominican media outlets have identified Joshua Steven Ribe, a 24-year-old American tourist from Iowa, as the last person to see Konanki.
Reports indicate that Ribe gave conflicting statements to police, initially claiming he and Konanki entered the water together but later saying rough waves forced him to return to shore… leaving her behind.
Konanki, an Indian-born U.S. resident from Virginia, had traveled to the Caribbean island for spring break with five female classmates. She arrived on March 3 and was reported missing after failing to return from the beach.
Authorities continue to investigate, questioning Ribe and others at the resort as they work to uncover what happened in those final moments. The case has drawn international attention, with growing concerns about tourist safety in the Dominican Republic.
