Joshua Riibe, a 22-year-old college student who was with University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki on the night she disappeared during a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic, is set to return to the United States on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, according to a local law enforcement source. Riibe was able to obtain an emergency travel document from the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic, and local authorities granted him permission to depart the country.
Riibe, considered a witness and not a suspect in Konanki’s disappearance, had his passport and cellphone confiscated while being questioned by authorities over the past few days. Reports of his imminent return surfaced following news from a prosecutor’s office source earlier that Riibe would receive his passport back on Thursday.
His legal team confirmed efforts to secure a new U.S. passport for Riibe from the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic to facilitate his departure. The U.S. Embassy stated it was in contact with Riibe, his family, and his legal representation, offering necessary consular support.
A Dominican judge ruled during a habeas corpus hearing that Riibe could move freely within the Dominican Republic without police surveillance as he was only a witness to an incident, not a suspect. However, the judge did not return his passport, citing that it was beyond his jurisdiction. Riibe expressed a desire to return home to his family and voiced his frustration at being unable to leave after ten days.
The State Department spokesperson emphasized the agency’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad, acknowledging the situation and confirming ongoing consular support for Riibe and his family. Authorities have indicated that they suspect Konanki drowned in Punta Cana on March 6 after being swept into the ocean by a wave while swimming with Riibe.
He mentioned that he made an effort to ensure she could breathe the whole time, which led to Riibe not being able to get enough air and swallowing a lot of water. When they reached the shore, Riibe informed prosecutors that Konanki stood up to retrieve her belongings, but she was still in the water up to her knees, walking at an angle. “The last time I saw her, I inquired about her well-being,” he informed prosecutors. “I couldn’t hear her response because I started vomiting due to the water I had ingested. After vomiting, I looked around but couldn’t spot her. I assumed she had taken her things and left.”
Missing University of Pittsburgh student believed to have drowned in the Dominican Republic. Riibe mentioned that he later blacked out on a beach chair, woke up hours later, and returned to his hotel room. Konanki’s family formally requested the Dominican police to declare their daughter deceased on Monday, according to sources familiar with the investigation. The Dominican Republic’s Civil Defense announced on Tuesday evening that they are reducing the search and rescue operations significantly.
The judge is scheduled to make a decision on whether to charge Riibe with anything in a comprehensive ruling on March 28. ABC News’ Shannon Kingston contributed to this report. A source revealed that the individual seen with the missing Pittsburgh student is returning to the United States.
