What Happened to Sudiksha Konanki? About Her Disappearance

Sudiksha Konanki has been missing since early March 2025 in Punta Cana while taking a spring break trip. The University of Pittsburgh student’s disappearance has gripped the nation as more details of her case have emerged. So, what happened to Konanki?

Below, we have a breakdown of Konanki’s disappearance.

How Old Is Sudiksha Konanki?

Konanki is currently 20 years old. She is a junior at the University of Pittsburgh and plans to study medicine, her father said.

Who Are Sudiksha Konanki’s Parents?

Subbarayudu Konanki, the father of Konanki, has spoken out regarding his daughter’s case. The Konanki family is originally from India but now permanently resides in the United States.

When Konanki’s family learned of her disappearance, her parents, Subbarayudu and Sreedevi Konanki, flew from Virginia to Punta Cana with family friends. They subsequently filed a formal complaint and requested local authorities to expand their investigation. According to the Associated Press, the complaint revealed that Konanki had left her personal belongings, including her phone and wallet, with her friends the night she went missing.

What Happened to Sudiksha Konanki?

Konaki was last seen in the early morning hours of March 6, 2025, when she stayed behind at a beach near the Punta Cana Riu República Hotel. The last known person who allegedly saw Konanki alive was a man named Joshua Riibe, who was named a “person of interest” but not a suspect in the case.

Addressing initial speculation that Konaki may have drowned, her father told WTOP-FM, “It’s four days, and if she was in water, she would likely have been strewn to shore. She’s not found, so we’re asking them to investigate multiple options, like kidnapping or abduction.”

The complaint, as reported by the Associated Press, stated, “In light of these circumstances, I respectfully request that the authorities take immediate steps to investigate not only the possibility of an accidental drowning, but also the possibility of a kidnapping or foul play.” Konanki’s father also pointed out that it was “unusual” for her to have left her phone behind.

After Riibe’s account of the time he spent with Konanki was revealed, her family was reported to believe that she may have died from an accidental drowning.

“The disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki is tragic, and we cannot imagine the grief her family has been feeling,” Loudoun County Sheriff Michael Chapman said in a statement on March 18.

“Sudiksha’s family has expressed their belief that she drowned. While a final decision to make such a declaration rests with authorities in the Dominican Republic, we will support the Konanki family in every way possible as we continue to review the evidence and information made available to us in the course of this investigation.”

Who Is Joshua Riibe?

According to Daily Mail, Riibe is a student at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and is originally from Rock Rapids, Iowa.

While speaking with local authorities, Riibe claimed that he was on the beach with Konanki before she disappeared and that they were both struggling with harsh waters while swimming in the ocean.

According to NBC News, Riibe claimed in the interview that he and Konanki were in “in waist-deep water, talking and kissing a little” when a large wave crashed, and they were both taken “out to sea.”

“It took me a long time to get her out. It was difficult,” Riibe claimed. “I was trying to get her to breathe the whole time. That didn’t allow me to breathe all the time, and I swallowed a lot of water. I could have lost consciousness several times. When I finally reached the ground on the beach, I held her in front of me.”

Riibe further claimed that the “last time he saw” Konaki, he asked “if she was OK,” but he “didn’t hear her answer.”

“I looked around and didn’t see anyone. I thought she’d grabbed her things and left,” he claimed before adding that he was shocked to find out that Konanki was missing.