Crime & Justice

New Video Shows Final Moments Before Missing Student’s Disappearance

NEW CLUES

Sudiksha Konanki was at the Riu Repùblica Hotel bar with a person of interest in her case.

Sudiksha Konanki and Joshua Riibe
Reuters/TeleNoticias

A newly uncovered video fills in more gaps in the puzzling disappearance of University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki, TMZ reported. Surveillance footage shows the 20-year-old and Joshua Riibe, a person of interest who shared a kiss with Konanki at a bar around the time she went missing. The two don’t appear to hang out together. The video from the bar at the Riu Repùblica Hotel in Punta Cana, where Konanki was spending her spring break, was found by the Dominican Republic news station, Noticias SIN. The surveillance footage seemed to feature Konanki in all white clothes walking to a grassy area, her back turned to the camera, leaning over and throwing up. After this, she can be seen walking over to a friend and later jumping up and down in excitement. Noticias SIN has identified a man who also seemed to be hunched over the grass, throwing up. The news station also obtained additional security footage of Konanki loitering around a hotel lobby with her friend before the two eventually stepped out of frame. These two latest videos were recorded in the early hours of March 6 when the pre-med student went missing after a stroll on the beach with Riibe, who remains the last person to see her alive. Although officials have not yet recovered Konanki’s body, her clothes were found draped over a bench chair, leading them to believe that she may have drowned in the rough ocean waters when taking a dip. That said, they have not yet ruled out foul play. Meanwhile, Riibe’s passport has been pulled, so he can’t leave the country during the ongoing probe.

Read it at TMZ