SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (Gray News) – Authorities say they are continuing their search for a 20-year-old college student from Virgina who went missing last week in Punta Cana during a spring break trip.
Officials said Sudiksha Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student, was last seen on March 6 at a beach near a resort where she was staying with several friends.
The Associated Press reports that her parents, Subbarayudu and Sreedevi Konanki, have urged authorities to widen their investigation into her disappearance.
The Konanki family shared that her belongings, including a phone and wallet, were left with her friends, but she’s known to always carry her phone.
On Wednesday, multiple outlets reported that the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia named 24-year-old Joshua Riibe as a person of interest in Sudiksha Konanki’s disappearance, with the case remaining a missing person investigation.
According to Fox News, authorities have interviewed Riibe at length, but they noted the 24-year-old has not been accused of any crime at this time in the case.
Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman previously told WUSA that the people she was with were being interviewed as his department continues to coordinate with federal organizations, including the FBI.
“We’re going on the presumption that she’s still alive and want to make sure we’re exhausting every possible lead that we can,” Chapman was quoted.
Virginia authorities urged anyone with further information on the case to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office at 703-777-1021.
Copyright 2025 Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this story.