By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-03-14 21:42:10 | Updated at 2025-03-17 04:48:48
2 days ago
Newly released video showed missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki vomiting at a bar inside her Dominican Republic resort shortly before she disappeared.
The disturbing clip also shows Joshua Riibe, the Iowa man who was last seen with Konanki, 20, throwing near an entrance to bar at the Riu Republica resort in Punta Cana where they had both been staying.
The footage emerged as it was revealed that Riibe, 24, changed his story several times during a series of interrogations by authorities, People reported. He has not been named a suspect in Konanki's disappearance.
The new footage, obtained by CDN television, showed the 20-year-old Konanki vomiting at 4:05 am on March 6 before walking back to the bar.
Riibe remained in the background vomiting while two men stood near him.
Konanki and three of her friends then went to the beach with Riibe and his friend.
Separate security camera from the all-inclusive resort showed 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.
The same camera picked up another female friend accompanied by Johnson walking into the building at 5:05 am.
University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki disappeared from the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on March 6
CDN television obtained surveillance video that showed Sudiksha Konanki vomiting outside a bar at the Riu Republica Hotel the early morning of March 6 before she went to the beach next to the resort and disappeared
After vomiting, Sudiksha Konanki went back to the bar and mingled with her friends before the group walked over to the beach, where she was last seen
The surveillance camera would show Riibe, barefoot and shirtless, as he slowly walked back to his room at 8:54am with Konanki nowhere in sight.
The new resort footage comes just days after Riibe was questioned at the prosecutor's office.
Riibe told a prosecutor that he and Konanki had kissed in the ocean before they almost got swept away by a wave. He said he saved her from drowning while almost losing consciousness.
However, Riibe, who was flanked by two lawyers, refused to answer some questions, with the prosecutor probing him over how they could be sure what he was saying was truthful.
Riibe was also asked about what he told his close friend about Sudiksha and what he thought about her disappearance.
Joshua Riibe was also picked up by a surveillance camera vomiting moments in front of a bar at the Riu Republica Hotel. The 24-year-old Iowa resident was the last person who saw University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki before she went missing after the went for a swim at a beach next to the resort
Joshua Riibe, 24, was seen on camera with University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha in the early hours of March 6.
Riibe was also asked if he knew if Sudiksha was able to swim, if she made any gestures or cries in the sea, if he called the cops or told the hotel, if he had told his friends about what happened and was also asked how he felt about the situation.
To all of those questions, he said: 'My lawyers advise me not to answer that question and I follow their advice', before going silent.
Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, claimed he had only just met the young woman when they decided to head to the beach, according to the transcript of his interview obtained by Noticias SIN.
'We were in waist-deep water. We talked and kissed a bit,' Riibe said. 'A big wave came and hit us both. And when the water returned, it swept us out to sea. As soon as we were able to surface, we tried to call for help.'
Joshua Riibe (pictured) was seen leaving the prosecutor's office for the province of La Altagracia after he was peppered with over 50 questions about the disappearance of Pitt student Sudiksha Konanki
He explained that he previously worked as a lifeguard at a swimming pool and tried to bring them both to safety when he started to feel sick.
'I was getting tired. I realized she was getting tired of swimming too. I've been a lifeguard. I grabbed her and pulled her out. I held her under my arm and swam to get her out of the water,' Riibe said.
Riibe turned over his passport to Dominican authorities earlier this week and is not allowed to leave the country, according to El Nuevo Diario newspaper.
Renowned criminal defense lawyer Felix Portes told CDN that Riibe's lawyers were expected to appear before a judge and file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus to determine if he being legally detained.
