Sudiksha Konanki disappearance: ‘Person of interest’ Joshua Riibe gives ultimatum to Dominican Republic cops

Joshua Riibe has not been charged or accused of wrongdoing, but is being considered a person of interest in the case.

Published on: Mar 18, 2025, 06:58:15 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Joshua Riibe, the person of interest in the disappearance of University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki, has given Dominican Republic cops an ultimatum. His attorney Beatriz Santana said in a motion filed Monday, March 17, that Riibe cannot be detained any longer without being charged, and must be allowed to go home.

Sudiksha Konanki disappearance: ‘Person of interest’ Joshua Riibe gives ultimatum to Dominican Republic cops (@avaaz_official/TikTok, Southeast technical college)

Riibe has not been charged or accused of wrongdoing, but is being considered a person of interest. Authorities in the Dominican Republic have seized his passport, and the Dominican government also said that he has also been put under police monitoring. He was interrogated by Dominican Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso and Navy Vice Admiral Agustin Morillo Rodriguez.

Hearing scheduled for Beatriz Santana’s habeas corpus motion

As the investigation enters its 11th day, Santana told ABC Eyewitness News of Riibe, “If he wants to leave the hotel, he cannot do that freely, but with police. His passport is seized despite not being officially charged.”

A hearing on Santana’s habeas corpus motion is scheduled for 2 pm on Tuesday, March 18, the Spanish-language outlet Noticias SIN reported.

Over 300 law enforcement personnel are involved in the search for the missing 20-year-old student, including from the FBI, the US Department of Homeland Security and deputies from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Konanki’s hometown in Virginia.

Riibe is an Iowa native and a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. Noticias SIN reported that he has been “in custody” since shortly after Konanki disappeared on March 6. “Joshua Steven Riibe, who has been identified as a ‘person of interest,’ remains in custody and is being interrogated at the National Police’s Gender Violence Unit to gather more information about the incident,” a rep for the Caribbean nation said in an update.

“As long as authorities consider Joshua Steven Riibe a key element in the investigation, he will remain in custody,” the notice added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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