Joshua Riibe, the Iowa faculty senior named as an individual of curiosity within the disappearance of lacking College of Pittsburgh scholar Sudiksha Konanki, has returned residence after weeks of questioning within the Dominican Republic.
Riibe, 22, was the final individual to see Konanki, 20, earlier than authorities consider she drowned throughout a visit to Punta Cana. His mom, Tina Riibe, described the scenario as “actually unhappy” and stated her son is recovering at their household residence in Rock Rapids.
“It was a very unhappy scenario. Josh is resting up proper now,” Tina Riibe informed the DailyMail. She declined to touch upon whether or not her son would return to St Cloud State College, the place he’s finding out land surveying.
Riibe’s return was delayed resulting from passport points after he was held within the Dominican Republic for questioning. He confronted a holdover in Puerto Rico as authorities labored via problems associated to an emergency passport issued by the US. consulate.
Dominican authorities questioned Riibe for 2 weeks earlier than figuring out there was no foul play concerned in Konanki’s disappearance. Riibe and Konanki had gone for an early-morning swim on the RIU Resort & Resort in Punta Cana on March 6, however tough waters reportedly overwhelmed her.
Riibe informed investigators that he had pulled Konanki into knee-deep water earlier than passing out on the seashore resulting from intoxication. She was by no means seen once more. Surveillance footage confirmed the group ingesting earlier than heading to the seashore, with Riibe showing visibly intoxicated.
Regardless of being labelled an individual of curiosity, authorities by no means thought of Riibe a suspect. His passport and cellphone have been seized in the course of the investigation however have been later returned. He was allowed to depart the nation after Konanki’s grieving mother and father requested Dominican authorities to launch him and declare their daughter legally lifeless.
Konanki’s father, Subbarayudu Konanki, expressed his sorrow over the scenario.
“Each side of the authorities have proven us how excessive the ocean waves have been on the time of the incident, and each side have clarified the individual of curiosity was not a suspect from the start,” he stated from their household residence in Virginia.
“It’s with deep disappointment and a heavy coronary heart that we’re coming to phrases with the actual fact our daughter has drowned. That is extremely troublesome for us to course of.”
