The parents of Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student who vanished on March 6 from a Punta Cana hotel, have formally requested Dominican authorities to declare her deceased after extensive search efforts yielded no results.
According to Diario Libre, Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki expressed confidence in the ongoing investigation, noting that the last person seen with their daughter has cooperated, and no foul play has been detected. Konanki disappeared while at a beach near the Riu República hotel with 22-year-old American Joshua Riibe. Surveillance footage captured her walking to the beach with friends, who later left while she remained behind with Riibe.
Legal proceedings continue, with a habeas corpus hearing scheduled for Riibe’s lawyers seeking to prevent his detention. President Luis Abinader acknowledged the case’s prominence due to international media coverage. Meanwhile, Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso emphasized that authorities are exploring all possibilities beyond an accident, using all available resources. The incident has drawn significant attention, particularly given the Dominican Republic’s reliance on tourism.
