Joshua Riibe, the 22-year-old Iowa man considered a "person of interest" in the disappearance of University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki in Punta Cana, has given the Dominican Republic cops an ultimatum that he should be allowed to return home as he continues to be held in custody.
Riibe, who has been held and questioned multiple times in the Caribbean nation regarding the missing student, cannot be kept in custody indefinitely without formal charges, his lawyer Beatriz Santana argued in a motion filed on Monday, according to local news outlet Noticias SIN. Authorities haven't identified Riibe as a suspect in Konanki's disappearance, nor have they slapped him with any charges.
Frustrating Wait
However, officials have confiscated Riibe's passport and have kept him confined at the RIU Hotel & Resort as the investigation stretches into its 11th day. "If he wants to leave the hotel he cannot do that freely, but with police," Santana told ABC Eyewitness News.
"His passport is seized despite not being officially charged.
As reported by Noticias SIN, a hearing for the attorney's "habeas corpus" motion is set to take place at 2 p.m. on Monday.
This comes as it was revealed that Riibe has a girlfriend. The revelation was made by his uncle, Richard, who told the Daily Mail that Riibe's girlfriend is a student at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, where he is also a studying.
On Sunday, he was spotted with investigators at the beach and later told NBC that he was simply trying to assist with the investigation. "I'm just trying to help them out," Riibe said. "The ocean is a dangerous place."
Over the weekend, supporters of Riibe's family issued a statement in support of the former high school wrestler.
"The Rock Rapids community stands behind and supports Joshua Riibe and his family," the statement read. "The Riibe family moved to town in 2015 and has been active in various school and community events and organizations. They are well known and loved."
The statement, shared by the Lyon County Sheriff's Office on behalf of the family's friends, portrayed Riibe as a man devoted "his faith' and always 'showing kindness to others."
"He exemplifies the values of compassion, respect and integrity that are fundamental to our church and our community."
Changing Stories
Riibe declined to answer certain questions as officers pressed him on how they could verify the accuracy of his statements. He was also asked about what he had shared with a close friend regarding Konanki and his thoughts on her disappearance.
Investigators further inquired whether he knew if Konanki could swim, if she signaled or called for help in the water, whether he contacted authorities or informed the hotel, if he had spoken to friends about the incident, and how he felt about the entire 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.
Surveillance footage showed Riibe with Konanki and a group of her friends walking toward the beach in Punta Cana around 4 a.m. on March 6. Two hours later, her friends left to return to their room, leaving Riibe alone with the medical student on the beach.
In one version of events, Riibe said that he and Konanki entered the water and were carried away by a wave. He also claimed at one point that he felt unwell, left the water, and returned to his hotel room. In another account, he said he fell asleep on the beach.
Riibe allegedly provided yet another version, telling authorities he saw Konanki walking along the shore in knee-deep water toward the lounge chair where she had left her cover-up.
His family explained the inconsistencies in his statements was because of different translators being present during his three separate police interviews.
Security cameras later captured Riibe returning to his hotel room at 9:55 a.m., barefoot and shirtless. He told investigators he was shocked to find out that Konanki had disappeared.
The Loudon County Sheriff's Office in Virginia, Konanki's home state, has identified Riibe as a person of interest. However, there are currently no suspects in the case.
Although Riibe has been "confined to the hotel since the investigation began," his attorney told NBC that the U.S. is treating Konanki's disappearance as a missing persons case rather than a criminal matter.
Authorities in the Dominican Republic believe she drowned, and while they have questioned Riibe, they have not indicated that he is suspected of any wrongdoing.
