Missing American Sudiksha Konanki’s family asks Dominican police for declaration of death

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — The parents of a missing University of Pittsburgh outpouring breaker person asked Dominican constabulary for a declaration of decease astir 2 weeks aft she vanished from a five-star edifice successful the formation municipality of Punta Cana, telling authorities they judge the communicative of the lone publically known eyewitness.

Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki are not disputing the communicative of Joshua Riibe, a 22-year-old Iowa antheral and chap outpouring breaker who is believed to beryllium the past idiosyncratic who saw their girl alive, according to a missive they sent to Dominican constabulary connected Monday. Her begetter had antecedently asked constabulary to analyse each possibilities.

Sudiksha Konanki, 20, vanished connected March 6 aft she went to the formation with 7 different radical astir 4:15 a.m., according to surveillance video. Most of her radical was seen coming backmost astir 6 a.m., leaving her unsocial with Riibe, though helium came backmost without her hours later.

Konanki's household did not instantly respond to a petition for remark connected the letter, which has been obtained by Fox News.

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Sudiksha Konanki, 20, from bluish Virginia, was archetypal reported missing connected Thursday, March 6, aft disappearing from a formation successful the Dominican Republic.  (Handout, left, and Defensa Civil Dominicana, right.)

"Following an extended search, Dominican authorities person concluded that Sudiksha is believed to person drowned," her parents wrote successful a missive to La Policia Nacional, the country's nationalist constabulary force, Monday night. "Her apparel were discovered connected a formation adjacent wherever she was past seen. The idiosyncratic past seen with her is cooperating with the investigation, and nary grounds of foul play has been found."

They said they made the petition aft "much deliberation" and thanked supporters for the planetary hunt effort.

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Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was past seen connected a formation extracurricular the five-star RIU Republica Resort successful the Dominican Republic connected March 6, 2025. (Fox News Digital)

"Initiating this process volition let our household to statesman the grieving process and code matters related to her absence," the grieving parents wrote. 

"While nary declaration tin genuinely easiness our grief, we spot that this measurement volition bring immoderate closure and alteration america to grant her memory."

Read the Konanki letter:

Riibe, a elder astatine St. Cloud State University successful Minnesota who has not been accused of a transgression but is considered a important witnesser successful the case, has been held nether surveillance astatine the edifice since Konanki was reported missing.

His household has called his continued required beingness successful the state "irregular."

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The formation country astatine the Riu Republica Resort successful Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. (Courtesy: D'Lani Sweeney)

In a leaked transcript of an interrogation with police, helium allegedly told detectives helium past saw her connected the formation aft they were some pulled offshore successful a beardown current.

Riibe said aft struggling backmost to land, helium past saw her walking distant successful knee-deep water, and past helium vomited and fell dormant connected a chair, according to a transcript obtained by Fox News. 

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On Monday, his attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus, challenging his de facto detention successful the country. He has been holed up successful the Riu Republica edifice since Konanki vanished. They were some staying determination for outpouring interruption vacations erstwhile they met.

Riibe is not accused of a crime, but authorities confiscated his passport portion investigating his mentation of events.

A proceeding connected the habeas petition is expected to beryllium held Tuesday afternoon, sources said, but the timing could change.