Joshua Riibe, 22, was spotted at the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, where he is under police surveillance, and told ABC overnight Monday, ‘I just hope to go home’

The former high school wrestler is at center of Sudiksha Konanki’s Dominican disappearance begs for freedom as he’s hauled in for questioning and more video emerges

Konanki, a 20-year-old pre-med student at University of Pittsburgh, disappeared the early morning of March 6

Riibe, a student athlete at St. Cloud University and the last person seen with Konanki is considered a person of interest in her disappearance

He has not been charged or named a suspect, but he has been questioned by Columbia’s National Police investigators and the Attorney General’s Office at least seven times

Sudiksha Konanki [right], disappeared from a beach at the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on March 6, believed to have happened while the company of Joshua Riibe, [left]. Authorities in Dominica believe she may have drowned

The Iowa man who was the last person who saw missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiskha Konanki has spoke out requesting that authorities in Dominican Republic allow him to leave the country, even as the specter of the unknown fate of a missing fellow American tourist, 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki, hangs over his head.
Joshua Riibe, a 22-year old student of St. Cloud University, presently is being restricted to the confines of the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, where he is under police surveillance, on Monday night moaned, ‘I just hope to go home.’
Presently he is being held as a person of interest, though he has never been charged in her disappearance. He has adopted a ‘No comment,’ posture when questioned on the circumstances of the pre-med student’, who disappeared in the early morning of March 6, while on Spring break in the Caribbean nation.

Joshua Riibe [right], also a college student from America being questioned by authorities in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. While his passport has been confiscated, he has not been arrested or named a suspect in the disappearance of  Sudiksha Konanki

The Rock Rapids resident has been grilled by National Police investigators and the Attorney General’s Office at least seven times, and was set to undergo questioning at the prosecutor’s office Monday.
Spotted at the beach on Sunday with investigators, he told US media that he was only trying to cooperate with the investigation.
‘I’m just trying to help them out,’ Riibe said. ‘The ocean is a dangerous place.’
Over the weekend, friends of Riibe family released a statement in support of the former high school wrestler.

Sudiksha Konanki in the hotel lobby in the Dominican Republic, hours before she vanished. The missing Pittsburgh student was last seen since the early hours of March 6

The statement, which was released by the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office on behalf of the family’s friends, states that, ‘The Rock Rapids community stands behind and supports Joshua Riibe and his family.
‘The Riibe family moved to town in 2015 and has been active in various school and community events and organizations. 
‘They are well known and loved.’

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Surveillance camera footage from the hotel showed both Joshua Riibe and Sudiksha Konanki, vomiting at a bar at 4:05 am then walking to the beach at the Riu Republica Hotel in the company of friends, the last time Konanki was seen on March 6

While the statement described Joshua Riibe as being devoted to ‘his faith’ and always ‘showing kindness to others,’ surveillance camera footage from the all-inclusive five-star hotel showed both Riibe and Konanki vomiting at a bar at 4:05 am on March 6 before they walked to the beach.
A second camera spotted Riibe holding a cup and placing his arm around Konanki back as they trailed the group at 4:15 am. At about 4:55 am, the hotel security camera system showed two of her friends returning to the hotel. 

Surveillance video footage obtained by local news outlet Noticias SIN, showing Joshua Riibe [left] and Sudiksha Konanki [second from left], in the company of friends, headed for the beach at the Riu Republica Hotel, hours before she vanished on March 6

Hours later, surveillance camera shows a bare chested Riibe, slowly walking barefoot back to his room at 8:54am without Konanki. Her sarong and flip flops were found later, but police have confirmed that there are no signs of tampering with her belongings

The same camera picked up another female friend accompanied by Johnson walking into the building at 5:05 am.
More footage timestamped a few hours later, show Riibe, barefoot and shirtless, slowly walking back to his room at 8:54am without Konanki.
Fielding over 50 questions from prosecutor last Wednesday, Riibe claimed that he and Konanki had kissed in the ocean before they almost got swept away by a wave, adding that he saved her from drowning while almost losing consciousness.

Sudiksha Konanki, photo], vanished from the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on March 6. The University of Pittsburgh pre-med student traveled to the Caribbean nation with friends for spring break

Joshua Riibe[, photo], reportedly the last person who saw Sudiksha Konanki has been questioned as a person of interest in her whereabouts. He has offered several, slightly different versions of what transpired the last time Konanki was seen  

Quoting caution by his attorneys, Riibe refused to respond to several questions from the prosecution attempting to establish the veracity of his version of events.
Prosecutors asked Riibe if he knew that Konanki could to swim, if she made any gestures or cries in the sea.
Furthermore he was asked if he called police or the hotel? If he told his friends what happened during the early morning soiree?
To each question, his response was: ‘My lawyers advise me not to answer that question and I follow their advice’, before clamming up.