Clothes of missing Indian-origin student Sudiksha Konanki found on beach
What's the story
Dominican Republic authorities have found clothing suspected to be that of Sudiksha Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student who has been missing for more than a week.
The items were recovered from a beach chair at the spot where she vanished while on her spring break trip to Punta Cana.
The beachwear is very similar to what Konanki was last seen in, according to surveillance footage from the night of her disappearance.
Timeline
Sudiksha Konanki's disappearance: A timeline
Konanki, a Virginia resident of Indian descent, was seen for the last time on March 6. Friends reported her missing later that day after their group vacation to the RIU Hotel & Resort in Punta Cana.
CCTV footage showed her walking toward the beach at 4:15am on the night she disappeared. She was seen holding hands with Joshua Riibe, a senior at Minnesota's St Cloud State University, while other friends stood nearby.
Suspicious circumstances
Riibe's conflicting accounts raise suspicions
Riibe later told police he had rescued Konanki from rough waters, but lost her sight in the darkness, before they parted ways.
However, authorities said he has provided several contradictory versions of the night's happenings.
While the case was initially suspected to involve drowning, Dominican officials have not ruled out foul play and named Riibe a person of interest in the case.
He is under 24-hour surveillance as the investigation continues.
Parental concerns
Riibe's parents demand justice and transparency
Riibe's parents have alleged that he has been held under irregular circumstances and was interrogated without an official translator or legal counsel till March 12. They have called for justice and transparency in the case.
However, the Loudoun County Sheriff's office in Virginia has also named Riibe as a person of interest but reiterated that no charges have been filed against him yet.
Ongoing search
Search for Konanki enters 8th day
As the hunt for Konanki completes its eighth day, Dominican officials have pledged to step up interrogations and continue working to find the missing student.
Posters of missing persons have listed her as 5-foot-3, with black hair and brown eyes.
However, the investigation into her disappearance remains ongoing as authorities continue to work to discover the truth.