Search Continues for Missing University of Pittsburgh Student in Dominican Republic

Sudiksha Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student, is missing in the Dominican Republic. A person of interest has been identified, with ongoing investigations by U.S. and Dominican authorities. Her last known sighting was recorded on March 6 near a beach area of the Riu Republica Resort. The case remains classified as a missing person incident.

A person of interest has been identified in the ongoing investigation related to Sudiksha Konanki, a missing University of Pittsburgh student who disappeared during a spring break trip in the Dominican Republic. The announcement was made by a spokesperson from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, where the 20-year-old student hails from. Although the sheriff’s office holds no jurisdiction in this matter, it has dispatched detectives to assist in the investigation.

Currently, Dominican authorities have yet to confirm whether the identified person is also considered a person of interest in their inquiry. Questions directed to the National Police were referred to the local attorney general’s office. “This is not the same thing as a suspect, as this is not a criminal matter. It is still a missing person case,” stated sheriff’s office spokesperson Thomas Julia.

The individual identified has undergone an extensive interview, according to Julia. The FBI National Press Office announced that they are continuing to support their international counterparts in this case, although they have also referred inquiries to Dominican authorities for further clarification.

Sudiksha Konanki traveled to Punta Cana with a group of five friends on March 3. The last known sighting of her occurred around 4:15 a.m. on March 6, when she was recorded on security footage entering the beach area of the Riu Republica Resort. According to National Police, her friends returned to the hotel approximately 40 minutes later, leaving her with acquaintances not from her college. Her friends later realized her absence after a full day, approximately 12 hours later, and reported it to the hotel.

During a press conference, Dominican President Luis Abinader mentioned that the last person in contact with Konanki indicated that a wave had disrupted their group while they were on the beach. National Police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira confirmed that no evidence of blood or violence was discovered at the beach location.

In conclusion, the search for Sudiksha Konanki, who went missing during a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic, has led to the identification of a person of interest. Local and U.S. authorities continue their investigation into her disappearance, emphasizing that it remains a missing person case rather than a criminal matter. The situation is being monitored closely as her friends and local officials participate in the ongoing search efforts, with heightened attention from both national and local law enforcement agencies.

Original Source: www.nbcnews.com