The man last spotted with Sudiksha Konanki, a college student who vanished during her recent spring break trip to the Dominican Republic, has returned to the United States. Joshua Steven Riibe, age 22, departed the Caribbean nation late Wednesday, following repeated questioning regarding her disappearance, according to his legal representative.
Sudiksha, 20, went missing on March 6 while vacationing in Punta Cana. Her family has expressed concerns that she may have drowned. Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University from Rock Rapids, Iowa, was reportedly held in the Dominican Republic for ten days, where he expressed a desire to return home to his family.
Reportedly, Riibe was never regarded as a suspect in the case, according to officials from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, which is involved in the investigation. He was seen with Sudiksha on the beach during the early morning hours when she went missing.
A statement from Guzmán Ariza, Riibe's law firm, confirmed that his passport was confiscated by Dominican authorities, but he was able to obtain a new passport quickly from the U.S. Consulate. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office confirmed that they had interviewed him on March 13 and deemed him cooperative, with indications that he attempted to assist Sudiksha when she was last seen.
In the wake of her disappearance, Dominican authorities conducted an extensive search around the beach using drones, helicopters, and other resources, albeit with no results. Sudiksha's parents reportedly believe their daughter may have drowned, and they have stated that they do not believe Riibe is in any way culpable for what happened.