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 spring breaker have asked Dominican police for a declaration of death nearly two weeks after she vanished from a five-star resort in the beach town of Punta Cana, telling authorities they accept the story of the lone publicly known eyewitness.
Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki are not disputing the story of Joshua Riibe, a 22-year-old Iowa man and fellow spring breaker who is believed to be the last person who saw their daughter alive, according to a letter they sent to Dominican police on Monday. Her father had previously asked police to investigate all possibilities.
Sudiksha Konanki, 20, vanished on March 6 after she went to the beach with seven other people around 4:15 a.m., according to surveillance video. Most of her group was seen coming back around 6 a.m., leaving her alone with Riibe, though he came back without her hours later.
Konanki's family did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter, which has been obtained by Fox News.
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"Following an extensive search, Dominican authorities have concluded that Sudiksha is believed to have drowned," her parents wrote in a letter to La Policia Nacional, the country's national police force, Monday night. "Her clothes were discovered on a beach near where she was last seen. The individual last seen with her is cooperating with the investigation, and no evidence of foul play has been found."
They said they made the request after "much deliberation" and thanked supporters for the international search effort.
"Initiating this process will allow our family to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence," the grieving parents wrote.
"While no declaration can truly ease our grief, we trust that this step will bring some closure and enable us to honor her memory."
Read the Konanki letter:
Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota who has not been accused of a crime but is considered a crucial witness in the case, has been held under surveillance at the resort since Konanki was reported missing.
His family has called his continued required presence in the country "irregular."
In a leaked transcript of an interview with police, he allegedly told detectives he last saw her on the beach after they were both pulled offshore in a strong current.
Riibe said after struggling back to land, he last saw her walking away in knee-deep water, and then he vomited and fell asleep on a chair, according to a transcript obtained by Fox News.
On Monday, his attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus, challenging his de facto detention in the country. He has been holed up in the Riu Republica resort since Konanki vanished. They were both staying there for spring break vacations when they met.
Riibe is not accused of a crime, but authorities confiscated his passport while investigating his version of events.
A hearing on the habeas petition is expected to be held Tuesday afternoon, sources said, but the timing could change.