Joshua Riibe, the ‘person of interest’ named in the disappearance of India-origin student Sudiksha Konanki, is in custody of the police. He was interrogated by the Dominican Attorney General and Navy Vice Admiral till 3 am on Sunday, New York Post reported quoting Spanish-language outlet Noticias SIN.
Riibe was the last person to see Sudiksha, a University of Pittsburgh student, before she went missing while on a vacation at the RIU Hotel & Resort in Punta Cana, with her friends.
Although Riibe has not been charged or accused of any wrongdoing yet, he is named as the ‘person of interest’ in Suidksha Konanki’s disappearance case. He cannot leave the country as his passport has been seized till the time the investigation is over, the New York Post reported. According to the Dominican government, the authorities have put Riibe under police custody.
The search for the missing Indian-origin student is still on and entered its 10th day on Sunday. Everyone from law enforcement including Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and the Sheriff’s office from Konannki’s Virginia hometown is involved in her search operations.
The New York Post reported that the police had initially thought that Konanki may have drowned at the beach, which is occasionally dangerous for surfing and has claimed three lives already this year. However, they did not rule out foulf play in Konanki’s disappearance.
Police say that Konanki and Riibe, along with her friends, went out onto the beach at a fancy resort just after 4 am on March 6. However, the friends soon left them alone and went back to the hotel.
Security footage from the RUI resort shows the two of them holding hands and walking unsteadily, taking a selfie together on a path leading to the beach, shortly before Konanki went missing, the New York Post reported.