Sudiksha Konanki missing: What we know so far

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic (FOX 9) - It's been a week since Sudiksha Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh college student, went missing in the Dominican Republic. 

Local authorities, along with the FBI and the Loudon County Sheriff's Office of Virginia, are involved in the search and investigation into Konanki's disappearance. A person of interest who attends St. Cloud State University has been named in the case, but authorities stress he's not a suspect. 

Here's what we know so far. 

What happened? 

What we know:

Konanki, 20, of Chantilly, Virginia, was reported missing while vacationing with five college friends at a Riu República Hotel in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. They flew to the country on March 3. 

She was last seen on the beach in the early morning of March 6, authorities said. The hotel noted Konanki’s disappearance coincided with a power outage that prompted multiple guests to head to the beach.

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Konanki's family says her belongings, including a phone and wallet, were left with her friends, The Associated Press reports. 

Konanki attends the University of Pittsburgh. She is a citizen of India and a U.S. permanent resident, authorities said. 

‘Person of interest’ named, surveillance video released

Local perspective:

Dominican police say they have been interviewing people who were with Konanki before she went missing. They've been using drones, helicopters and detection dogs to search the waters of the east coast of the Dominican Republic, the AP reports. 

The Loudon County Sheriff's Office told FOX 9 on Wednesday Joshua Riibe, a 22-year-old from Iowa, is a "person of interest" in the investigation, but stressed this is not a criminal investigation and he is not a suspect. 

Riibe is a St. Cloud University student who was vacationing in Punta Cana but not part of Konanki's traveling group. The Loudon County Sheriff's Office says he "may have been the last one to have seen her, so is of particular interest."

Surveillance video shows Riibe with Konanki before she disappeared. 

According to St. Cloud State University, Riibe "is a currently enrolled student at St. Cloud State, and he has attended the university since 2023. He is a senior who is majoring in land surveying and mapping sciences. His hometown is Rock Rapids, Iowa, and he has never been a student-athlete at SCSU."

Conflicting stories about what happened

What they're saying:

Dominican President Luis Abinader said Monday the last person known to be with her says a wave crashed into them while they were on the beach, the AP reports.

There are reports that Riibe is cooperating with law enforcement, but there have also been several reports that he has given conflicting accounts of what happened.

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office told FOX 5 in DC there are questions regarding when Konanki was first reported missing.