The final individual to see lacking College of Pittsburgh scholar Sudiksha Konanki claimed he saved her from the tough Caribbean waters earlier than shedding her within the darkness of evening.
Minnesota faculty senior Joshua Riibe, 28, refused to reply a number of key questions as he described his closing moments with Konaki earlier than she vanished within the Dominican Republic two weeks in the past.
“I was a lifesaver. I grabbed her and pulled her out,” Riibe informed the Public Ministry, in keeping with a transcript obtained by Dominican Republic’s Noticas Sin.
Riibe, who was named an individual of curiosity within the case, had traveled to the RIU Resort & Resort in Punta Cana for spring break — the identical five-star resort the place Konanki was staying.
The 22-year-old St. Cloud State College scholar is believed to be the final individual to see Konanki as surveillance footage captured the pair strolling arm-in-arm alongside the seaside after 4 a.m. on March 6.
That they had waded out to waist-deep water the place they talked and kissed till the surf turned too sturdy for them.
“A big wave came and hit us both and as the water returned it came back and swept us out to sea,” Riibe informed investigators.
Riibe claimed the duo cried for assist after they returned to the floor, however their calls went unanswered as nobody was across the seaside throughout their middle-of-the-night escapades.
He mentioned that he and Konanki have been drained out from swimming within the tough water, however he fought to get them out of the dire scenario.
He described placing Konanki beneath his arm and swimming again to the seaside, however was met with resistance.
“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 mentioned.
The previous highschool wrestler says he swallowed plenty of sea water through the daring sea rescue.
“I could have lost consciousness several times,” Riibe informed officers.
Observe the most recent on the seek for lacking Pitt scholar Sudiksha Konanki:
Riibe mentioned he managed to get the 2 of them again to a protected spot within the water nearer to the seaside.
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.
The 20-year-old was nonetheless in knee-deep water, strolling at an “angle.”
“The last time I saw her, I asked her if she was ok,” Riibe mentioned. “I didn’t hear her reply as a result of I began vomiting all the ocean 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.”
Riibe says he didn’t really feel nicely, sat in a seaside chair and fell asleep earlier than he was awoken by the mosquitoes biting him and the dawn.
He claimed he returned to his lodge room, briefly speaking to his good friend earlier than falling again to sleep.
Through the questioning with officers, Riibe declined to reply eight essential questions concerning the case, giving the identical 14-word response to every inquiry.
“My legal professionals advise me to not reply that query and I observe their recommendation.
Police had sought extra info and perception from Riibe concerning a number of features of his evening with Konanka.
- How can we confirm that the whole lot you’ve got mentioned corresponds to the reality?
- May you inform us what you informed your good friend Carter Joseph, when he requested concerning the lacking lady Konanki – Sudiksha?
- What do you concentrate on Sudiksha’s disappearance?
- Did younger Sudiksha know tips on how to swim or not?
- Do you bear in mind if younger Sudiksha made any gestures or cries whereas she was within the sea?
- Did you inform the authorities or the lodge what had occurred to you and the lady on the seaside?
- Did you inform your good friend what had occurred with you and the lady on the seaside?
- How do you are feeling about this example?
Konanka was reported lacking at round 4 p.m. on March 6 by the group of pals she traveled to the Caribbean nation with.
Officers initially believed her disappearance was a drowning however introduced Wednesday that they hadn’t dominated out foul play.
Riibe’s recount seems to corroborate with an investigative police report that acknowledged the Indian-national was hit by a big wave whereas swimming at evening, in keeping with the report cited by ABC.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Workplace, the place Konanki’s hometown in Virginia is positioned, named Riibe as an individual of curiosity however cautioned that he was not a suspect.
Riibe’s aunt defended her nephew, claiming he couldn’t have finished it, saying he “wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Island officers suspect an influence outage on the resort led the 2 to get to the seaside, because the surveillance system had been shut down.
On March 5, hours earlier than she was final seen, Konanki made two cryptic Venmo transactions.
Funds of unknown quantities have been despatched to 2 totally different customers.
One solely had an emoji of a sailboat in its description, whereas the opposite referenced standard Punta Cana evening membership “Coco Bongo.”
