Person of curiosity reveals his last moments with lacking Pittsburgh scholar in Dominican Republic | EUROtoday

The final individual to see University of Pittsburgh scholar Sudiksha Konanki earlier than her disappearance within the Dominican Republic instructed authorities he had pulled her out of harmful waters earlier than dropping her within the darkness.

Joshua Riibe, 22, was beforehand confirmed as an individual of curiosity by Virginia police, although it was clarified he’s at the moment not a suspect. Konanki’s disappearance is at the moment being handled as an accident, however a lacking individuals investigation is ongoing. However, Riibe reportedly didn’t reply eight questions from investigators on the recommendation of his legal professionals.

Dominican authorities have additionally confiscated Riibe’s passport, NBC News stories. The 22-year-old has been “confined to the hotel since the investigation began” and has a everlasting police escort, his attorneys instructed the outlet.

“He is not free to leave,” his attorneys stated.

Konanki, a 20-year-old pre-med scholar, was final seen at 4:15 a.m. on March 6 coming into a seaside whereas vacationing with 5 feminine school associates on spring break in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

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After her associates returned to their resort room simply earlier than 6 a.m., Konanki stayed on the seaside with Riibe – a former highschool wrestler from Iowa. It’s not instantly clear if or how the pair knew each other earlier than assembly on the Caribbean Island.

He instructed police he went for a swim with Konanki, and the 2 had kissed within the water, earlier than she was swept up by a giant wave, ABC News reported.

“I was a lifesaver. I grabbed her and pulled her out,” Riibe instructed the Public Ministry, in keeping with an interview transcript obtained by Dominican Republic’s Noticas Sin. “A big wave came and hit us both and as the water returned, it came back and swept us out to sea.”

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Riibe stated he had put Konanki underneath his arm to swim again to shore. “It took me a long time to get her out, it was difficult. I was a lifeguard in the pool, not in the sea,” he stated, per the outlet.

He added that he had swallowed a variety of sea water throughout the incident and “could have lost consciousness several times.”

Riibe stated he recalled listening to Konanki saying she was going to get her belongings because the water had pushed them away from the realm that they had arrange, however was strolling at an “angle.”

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“The last time I saw her, I asked her if she was OK,” Riibe stated in keeping with the transcript. “I didn’t hear her answer because I started vomiting all the sea water I had swallowed. After I threw up, I looked around and didn’t see anyone. I thought she had grabbed her things and left.”

He added that he had thrown up and handed out on a seaside mattress. When he awoke, Riibe stated, Konanki was nowhere to be discovered.

Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, in Virginia, the place Konanki’s household lives, confirmed to The Independent that Riibe was an individual of curiosity within the case.

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“This particular individual may have been the last one to have seen her, so is of particular interest,” the spokesperson stated. “This is not at this time a criminal investigation, so to be clear, he is not a suspect,” the spokesperson added.

According to The New York Post, Riibe didn’t reply a number of questions from police, as a substitute responding: “My lawyers advise me not to answer that question and I follow their advice.”

The questions reportedly associated to additional particulars in regards to the night time of Konanki’s disappearance together with his emotions on the matter, and who he had knowledgeable in regards to the incident.

Riibe allegedly supplied three completely different accounts to authorities, the Post reported. However, CNN stated there have been “no inconsistencies” within the individual of curiosity’s recounting of occasions, and that translation points might have been guilty.