The missing University of Pittsburgh student, 20, was last seen by Joshua Steven Riibe of tiny Rock Rapids on March 6 at the posh Punta Cana resort.
In the new surveillance footage, the duo can be seen strolling near a beach at 4:15 am while locking hands as Konanki’s buddies who accompanied her forspring vacation pass by, reported Noticias SIN.
The still-missing student appears to stumble sometimes as Riibe, sporting a muscle shirt, seems to snap selfies as the they attempt to walk in a straight line.
Also Read: Did missing Indian-origin student Sudiksha Konanki drown in Dominican Republic? Here’s what we know
What police said about Joshua Steven Riibe
After a power outage, Konanki, a Virginia native, and her friends rushed to the beach from a disco at the Riu Republica Hotel, according to the Dominican Republic National Police.
The majority of the group left the beach around 5.50 am, leaving behind Riibe and Konanki, police added.
Local reports state that Riibe has provided three different versions of what transpired when he dropped out drunk on the beach after exiting the rocky surf, only to discover Konanki had vanished.
Chad Quinn, a spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office near Konanki’s hometown, confirmed that Riibe is not a suspect as the case has not been designated as a criminal investigation, according to NY POST. “It is our understanding that he is a US citizen who was vacationing in Punta Cana, not part of the group traveling with the missing person.”
He further told The POST that several people have been “interviewed by the Dominican National Police with the assistance of the FBI and this is continuing.”
About 300 law enforcement officers, including the FBI, are involved in the search operation, according to authorities on the Caribbean island.
At first, the local authorities said Konanki died by drowning while swimming. Her family, however, thinks she may have been abducted and is a victim of crime.
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