Authorities are still putting together the pieces of Sudiksha Konanki’s story.
After the University of Pittsburgh student went missing during a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic, local police have spoken with a man in connection to her disappearance, according to the Dominic Republic National Police.
The unnamed young man was at the beach with Konanki—an Indian citizen living with her family in Virginia—around the time she disappeared at 4:15 a.m. March 6 after she and her friends were seen on surveillance video entering the beach area of the RIU hotel in Punta Cana, according to NBC News. While her five friends returned from the area to the hotel around 5:55 a.m., the 20-year-old was not with them.
“It is reported that the young man who entered the waters of the aforementioned beach was interviewed during the investigation process,” the police shared in a March 9 press release that was translated from Spanish, “which is why investigators are expanding the investigative process to corroborate the version that he offered in a preliminary manner.”
The statement also emphasizes that the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Central Investigation Directorate (DICRIM) and Politur have been “interviewing several people, mainly the companions of the missing young woman” to “establish the exact location of the maritime search and its surroundings.”
E! News has reached out to local officials for comment and has not heard back.
While three officials from the Dominican Republic involved in the investigation told ABC News that they believe Konanki—whose body has not been recovered—died by drowning, authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, where her family lives, told NBC News that all avenues are currently being explored.
“This was the initial speculation in this case but other possibilities have been explored since Friday,” Loudoun County Public Information Officer Thomas Julia said in a text message March 9. “We have an obligation to look at all possibilities, interview all parties and look at all phones that may provide info of value and are doing so.”
“Right now, it runs the gamut from something accidental to foul play,” he added. “It is all at this point under consideration. Nothing’s been ruled out.”
As the search for Konanki continues, the five students who traveled with the junior have stayed behind to aid in the search efforts instead of returning to the United States as scheduled, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson confirmed.
Meanwhile, the RIU Hotels told NBC News in a statement that it was “deeply concerned” regarding the disappearance of one of their guests.
“From the moment her absence was reported, we have been working closely with the local authorities, including the police and the navy, to conduct a thorough search,” the hotel said. “We would like to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.
The statement concluded, “We are fully committed to doing everything in our power to assist in this situation.”
Read on for a breakdown of the ongoing investigation.
(E! News and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
Where Did Sudiksha Konanki Travel to for Spring Break?
Sudiksha Konanki, a junior in biology at the University of Pittsburgh, traveled to the Dominican Republic on March 3 during spring break.
Who Did Sudiksha Konanki Travel With?
The 20-year-old headed to the Dominican Republic with five friends to celebrate the University of Pittsburgh’s spring break.
Where Was Sudiksha Konanki Staying?
Konanki had been staying at the Hotel Riu Palace Punta Cana, an all-inclusive resort.
Following her disappearance, the hotel told NBC News, “We have been working closely with the local authorities, including the police and the navy, to conduct a thorough search. We would like to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends during this incredibly difficult time … we are fully committed to doing everything in our power to assist in this situation.”
A hotel spokesperson shared with the outlet that prior to the incident, red flags, which indicated that “the sea had a strong current and very high waves,” were flying on the beach to warn guests.
When Was Sudiksha Konanki Reported Missing?
Konanki was reported missing on March 6 after her friends returned from a beach walk without her. She is believed to have disappeared between the hours of 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. that morning.
When Did Search and Rescue Efforts Begin for Sudiksha Konanki?
Following her disappearance, local officials began an investigation. Local civil defense confirmed it had begun searches on land and by sea, while a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office in Loudoun County in Virginia—where Konanki was from—told NBC News their investigations included obtaining video, going through cellphone evidence and talking to people who were with Konanki.
What Do Officials Believe May Have Happened to Sudiksha Konanki?
Although a body has not been recovered, three Dominican Republic officials—who are leading the investigation—told ABC News on March 9 that they believe Konanki died by drowning.
However, Loudoun County Public Information Officer Thomas Julia told NBC News that they have “an obligation to look at all possibilities, interview all parties and look at all phones that may provide info of value and are doing so.”
What Have Key Figures Told Police About Sudiksha Konanki’s Night on the Beach?
Joshua Riibe, a key witness in the search for Konanki, shared their encounter on the beach with Dominican authorities, alleging that while at the beach with a friend and Konanki’s party of six, he and Konanki were swept into a current while kissing and talking in “waist-deep water.”
“When I finally reached the ground on the beach, I pulled her in front of me,” Riibe told authorities, according to a transcript viewed by E! News.“She went to gather her belongings since the sea had moved us. She wasn’t out of the water, as it was up to our knees.”
“She was walking at an angle in the water,” he continued. “The last time I saw her, I asked if she was OK. I didn’t hear her answer because I started vomiting all the seawater I’d swallowed.”
The St. Cloud State University student said he fell asleep on a nearby beach chair and believed she returned to her room. “My friend asked me if I knew where the girl was,” he said. “I told him I thought she had gone to her room, and he told me she never returned.”
What Has Sudiksha Konanki’s Family Said About the Case?
Following Konanki’s disappearance, her father Subbarayudu Konanki told CNN his daughter had been traveling before beginning pre-med studies.
“My daughter is a very nice girl,” he said. “She’s ambitious. She wanted to pursue a career in medicine.”
However, more than 10 days after her disappearance, her loved ones asked Dominican Republic authorities to declare her dead, a police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira told NBC News March 17, sending a letter requesting the declaration of death.
