Missing American in Dominican Republic: Key witness asks court to end de facto house arrest
Joshua Riibe of Iowa is a key witness in the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Attorneys for Iowa 22-year-old Joshua Riibe, the key witness in the mysterious disappearance of University of Pittsburgh spring breaker Sudiksha Konanki, have filed a writ of habeas corpus seeking an end to his de facto house arrest at the resort where she vanished.
The search for Konanki entered its 11th day Monday with no signs of her whereabouts.
Riibe, who has not been named a suspect or charged with a crime, spent the entire time at the Riu Republica resort, where the local prosecutor is also staying. Riibe was seen on the same video surveillance as Konanki before she vanished at the resort.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sudiksha Konanki, 20, has been missing from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, since March 6. (handout/ Santiago Baez for Fox News Digital)
Dominican authorities confiscated his passport and have placed him under police surveillance as the search continues by land, air and sea.
Riibe’s attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus Monday, according to Sin Noticias, a Dominican news outlet. A source confirmed to Fox News Digital the petition has been filed at the courthouse and a hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday. Dominican and U.S. officials did not respond to requests for comment.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Riibe, a fellow spring breaker from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, has been cooperating with authorities and has not been named a suspect – but his family took issue with his treatment in a fiery statement Friday.
The beach is seen at the RIU Republica resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. (Courtesy of D'Lani Sweeney)
"Despite his full willingness to cooperate, Josh has been detained under irregular conditions and subjected to extensive questioning without the presence of official translators or legal counsel until Wednesday, March 12," his parents, Albert and Tina Riibe, said through their attorneys.
"He has remained in his hotel room under police surveillance and has been repeatedly taken to the police station since March 6, where he has been interrogated for long hours. This situation has raised serious concern within his family, which has led us to retain legal counsel to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights throughout this process."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The courthouse in Higuey, where lawyers for Iowan Joshua Riibe filed a writ of habeas corpus Monday, March 17, 2025. Riibe is a key witness to the disappearance of fellow spring breaker Sudiksha Konanki, but he has not been charged with a crime despite around the clock surveillance and the confiscation of his passport. (Fox News Digital)
The filing is a challenge to the legality of Riibe’s detention, which his parents called "irregular" in a statement Friday.
Under Dominican law, a person can only be detained for 48 hours without charges, according to the State Department.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce weighed in on the situation on Monday, after a reporter asked about Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s view on the legality of a foreign country holding Riibe without charging him with a crime.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"When it comes to diplomatic efforts, whether they exist or not, the nature of legal frameworks for individuals, the privacy issues involved, that’s not something I can get into any detail about," Bruce said.
She was then asked if Riibe had consular access, and Bruce responded by saying, "I think all of us have a right to speak and be known."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}US college student Sudiksha Konanki went missing while on vacation with her friends in Punta Cana on March 6, 2025. (Fox News Graphics)
"We have…a standard and a protocol here that we won’t discuss a private situation, a private case, certainly, when it comes to diplomacy, diplomatic relationships between one country and another," Bruce said. "I’m not going to go into those details."
Riibe’s attorneys did not respond to requests for comment.
"As a prosecutor, I would say law enforcement is likely keeping Riibe in the Dominican Republic because he has made numerous inconsistent statements to law enforcement and there are still too many unanswered questions," said Jonathan Hatami, a deputy district attorney in Los Angeles who has been following the case. "Some people may feel Riibe should be allowed to leave. Well, a young girl is missing, and he was the last one to see her. Investigations usually don’t get wrapped up in an hour like a TV show."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Over the course of multiple interviews with police, Riibe allegedly claimed he last saw her on the beach after they were both pulled offshore in a strong current.
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He said after struggling back to land, he last saw her walking away in knee-deep water, and then he vomited and fell asleep on a chair, according to a transcript obtained by Fox News.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The move was not unexpected. Riibe has not been charged with a crime and was originally due to return to the U.S. last week.