Indian American Sudiksha Konanki’s last moments: Surveillance video shows her with ‘person of interest’ | Watch

Chilling new surveillance footage has surfaced, showing missing Indian American University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki staggering while walking arm-in-arm with Joshua Steven Riibe, an Iowa man identified as a “person of interest” in her disappearance. The footage, recorded around 4:15 am near the beach at Punta Cana’s Riu Republica Hotel, shows the pair holding hands while Konanki’s friends stroll nearby.

Riibe is seen holding out his phone, seemingly taking selfies as Sudiksha Konanki struggles to walk straight. According to Dominican Republic authorities, the two were last seen together after leaving a nightclub following a power outage at the resort, the New York Post reported.

Person of interest speaks out

Riibe, a Minnesota college student, has claimed that he saved Konanki from rough surf before losing sight of her.

“I was a lifesaver. I grabbed her and pulled her out,” Riibe reportedly told investigators, according to a transcript obtained by Noticias SIN, reported The New York Post. He recounted that the two had waded out to waist-deep water, where they talked and kissed before a strong wave pulled them further out.

“A big wave came and hit us both, and as the water returned, it swept us out to sea,” he was quoted as saying. Riibe claimed he struggled to keep both of them afloat, eventually pulling Konanki closer to shore before losing track of her.

“The last time I saw her, I asked her if she was OK. I didn’t hear her answer because I started vomiting all the seawater I had swallowed. After I threw up, I looked around and didn’t see anyone,” he added.

Authorities investigate multiple accounts

Riibe has provided conflicting statements about what happened after he returned to shore. Initially, he claimed that he passed out drunk on the beach and woke up to find Konanki gone. He later told authorities that he saw her walking at an angle in knee-deep water before she disappeared.

Local police initially suggested that Konanki may have drowned, but her family believes foul play may be involved. The Dominican Republic National Police, with assistance from the FBI, has deployed around 300 personnel to search for her.

Unanswered questions and legal silence

During questioning, Riibe refused to answer eight key questions about the case, repeatedly stating, “My lawyers advise me not to answer that question and I follow their advice.”

The questions he declined to answer included, according to the New York Post report:

How can we verify that everything you have said corresponds to the truth?

Could you tell us what you told your friend Carter Joseph, when he asked about the missing girl Konanki – Sudiksha?

What do you think about Sudiksha’s disappearance?

Did young Sudiksha know how to swim or not?

Do you remember if young Sudiksha made any gestures or cries while she was in the sea?

Did you inform the authorities or the hotel what had happened to you and the girl on the beach?

Did you tell your friend what had happened with you and the girl on the beach?

How do you feel about this situation?

Family’s concerns and cryptic transactions

Konanki’s family remains sceptical of the drowning theory and believes she may have been abducted. Adding to the mystery, hours before her disappearance, Konanki reportedly made two cryptic Venmo transactions. One payment contained only a sailboat emoji in the description, while the other referenced Punta Cana’s Coco Bongo nightclub.

Ongoing investigation and search efforts

Officials continue to search for Konanki while investigating all possibilities. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia confirmed that Riibe remains a “person of interest” but emphasised that he is not a suspect at this time. Meanwhile, Riibe’s aunt has publicly defended him, insisting that he “wouldn’t hurt a fly.”