Virginia authorities in Dominican Republic assisting with search for Sudiksha Konanki
VA authorities assist with search for Sudiksha Konanki in Dominican Republic
Two members of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office are on the ground in the Dominican Republic, assisting investigators in the search for a Virginia college student who disappeared earlier this month during a spring break trip.
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic - Two members of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office are on the ground in the Dominican Republic, assisting investigators in the search for a Virginia college student who disappeared earlier this month during a spring break trip.
Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was last seen on March 6 at the Riu República Hotel in the beach resort town of Punta Cana, authorities said. Konanki is a student from Chantilly, Virginia, attending the University of Pittsburgh.
The search efforts involve both Dominican police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to authorities, Konanki vanished before dawn at a beach near the hotel amid a power outage, as she and other guests had gone outside.
READ MORE: Joshua Riibe named ‘person of interest’ in Dominican Republic disappearance case: sheriff
Search continues for college student who went missing in DR
The search continues for Sudiksha Konanki. Konanki, 20, was last seen on March 6 at the Riu República Hotel in the beach resort town of Punta Cana, authorities said. Konanki is a student from Chantilly, Virginia, attending the University of Pittsburgh.
Virginia authorities aid in search for missing student
What we know:
Video obtained by the Dominican Republic news outlet "Noticias SIN" shows Konanki walking with friends and a young man at the RIU Republica Resort around 4:30 a.m. Thursday morning.
Authorities say Konanki, her friends, and the young man walked toward the beach. While her friends returned later, Konanki and the young man remained behind.
READ MORE: Virginia woman Sudiksha Konanki still missing; FBI joins search
Virginia authorities in Dominican Republic assisting with search
Two members of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office are on the ground in the Dominican Republic, assisting investigators in the search for a Virginia college student who disappeared earlier this month during a spring break trip.
Video evidence and witness accounts emerge in Konanki case
What we know:
Loudoun County Sheriff Michael Chapman identified the young man seen on video as a person of interest, identifying him as 24-year-old Joshua Riibe.
There are no charges at this time, and this is still considered a missing persons investigation, not a criminal one.
The Dominican Republic Civil Defense authorities investigating Konanki's disappearance told FOX 5's David Kaplan they are operating under the assumption that she may have drowned based on the information they received. However, Sheriff Chapman stresses that there is still no evidence of this.
"We are using all available resources to conduct a thorough investigation into the disappearance of Konanki Sudiksha Chowdary, and we fully appreciate the distress this incident is causing her family, and the great concern of Dominican and U.S. citizens," stated Dominican Republic Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso in a statement Wednesday.
"As with any disappearance under similar circumstances, we are implementing a thorough investigative protocol that considers all possible factors," she added.
READ MORE: Dominican Republic officials assume missing Virginia woman was swept into the ocean
The Source: FOX 5 DC, the Associated Press, Dominican Republic Office of the Attorney General , and the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office