Particular person of Curiosity in Sudiksha Konanki’s Disappearance Breaks His Silence

Joshua Riibe is talking out for the primary time since he was named an individual of curiosity within the disappearance of faculty scholar Sudiksha Konanki.

Riibe, a 22-year-old American vacationer who might have been the final particular person to see the College of Pittsburgh junior earlier than she went lacking within the Dominican Republic on March 6, broke his silence on the disappearance in a short interview with NBC Information revealed on Saturday, March 15.

Talking with the outlet from the Riu Republica, the Punta Cana resort the place each he and Konanki have been staying previous to her disappearance, Riibe mentioned, “I’m simply attempting to assist them out,” seemingly referring to these concerned within the search.

“The ocean is a harmful place,” he added, per the outlet.

Riibe, a senior at Minnesota’s St. Cloud State College, has been “confined” to the resort for the reason that investigation into Konanki’s disappearance started, his legislation agency instructed NBC Information on March 15.

“He’s completely escorted by the police wherever he goes,” the legislation agency mentioned, including that “he isn’t free to depart.”

Riibe, who has not been accused of or charged with any crime, was named a “particular person of curiosity” by the sheriff’s workplace in Loudoun County, Va., the place Konanki lives, PEOPLE confirmed final week. Dominican authorities, in the meantime, haven’t publicly named him an individual of curiosity.

It has not been confirmed by legislation enforcement officers whether or not Riibe was the final particular person to see Konanki, however he instructed authorities on March 12 that the pair frolicked on the seaside “kissing” previous to her disappearance, in response to an interview transcript obtained by NBC Information.

Riibe instructed native investigators that he and the faculty junior have been “in waist-deep water, speaking and kissing a little bit,” when a wave crashed, sweeping them each “out to sea,” in response to a transcript obtained by the outlet. “I saved attempting to get her to breathe, however that didn’t permit me to breathe on a regular basis, and I swallowed plenty of water,” he recalled.

A former lifeguard, Riibe additionally instructed investigators he bought himself and Konanki again to shore safely, and was stunned to be taught that Konanki was lacking afterward.

“The final time I noticed her, I requested if she was okay. I didn’t hear her reply,” he mentioned, per NBC Information. “I seemed round and didn’t see anybody. I assumed she’d grabbed her issues and left.”

A supply within the prosecutor’s workplace beforehand instructed PEOPLE that Riibe’s story modified over the course of 4 interrogations with native legislation enforcement officers. (The supply didn’t specify the methods by which his recollections modified.)

The St. Cloud State senior maintained, nevertheless, that he first met Konanki at Riu Republica, and that that they had been “partying” along with a gaggle of associates, in response to a supply.

Need to sustain with the most recent crime protection? Join PEOPLE’s free True Crime e-newsletter for breaking crime information, ongoing trial protection and particulars of intriguing unsolved circumstances.   

Riibe’s household beforehand instructed native outlet WTAE that their son is “deeply dismayed by” Konanki’s disappearance “and has totally cooperated within the search and clarification of the information from the very starting.”

The Konanki household, in the meantime, instructed USA Right this moment that they’re “going by way of an extremely tough time” and “are deeply saddened.”

“We kindly request privateness as we deal with this difficult second collectively,” the household added.

Konanki was a part of a gaggle of six feminine College of Pittsburgh college students touring for spring break this month. They later reported Konanki lacking when she by no means returned from the seaside on March 6. Following her disappearance, Dominican Nationwide Police mentioned an “exhaustive search was launched by sea, air and land,” to no avail.

A supply near the investigation mentioned Konanki’s garments have been found on a chaise lounge on the seaside. Dominican authorities consider that Konanki drowned, per an earlier report from ABC Information, although her physique has not been recovered.