In the case of Sudiksha Konanki’s disappearance during spring break in Punta Cana, the key witness Joshua Riibe successfully argued in a local Dominican court that his confinement at a luxurious resort against his will was not in compliance with local regulations.
Despite being granted permission to return to the United States, Dominican officials have not yet returned his passport. He may opt to pursue legal avenues to retrieve it or request a temporary replacement from the U.S. embassy.
Riibe, aged 22, is believed to have been one of the last individuals to have interacted with Konanki, aged 20, before she went missing on March 6 from the beach adjacent to their shared accommodation, the Riu Republica in Punta Cana.
He successfully argued in court Tuesday that as a witness, not a suspect, police control over his movements over an 11-day span was unlawful. A source told Fox News Wednesday that Riibe checked out of the Riu Republica resort and moved last night.
People enjoy time on the beach at the RIU Republica Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Thursday, March 13, 2025. Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was last seen on a beach outside the five-star RIU Republica Resort in the Dominican Republic on March 6, 2025. (Santiago Baez for Fox News Digital)
Authorities have not called Riibe a suspect and have not accused him of wrongdoing, but in a hearing that repeatedly devolved into screaming between prosecutors and Riibe’s attorneys, the government unsuccessfully sought to have his constant monitoring kept in place.
The judge sided with Riibe, finding his situation unlawful.
The judge told him to return for a hearing on March 28, but according to one expert, it’s a formality, and he doesn’t actually have to appear in person.
