LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (WDCW) — As the search for missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki continues in the Dominican Republic, Virginia authorities have named a “person of interest” in the case.
Konanki, 20, was last seen on March 6 during a power outage at the Riu República Hotel in the beach resort town of Punta Cana. She and five other female students flew to the country on March 3.
Police say Konanki disappeared at a beach by the hotel before dawn after she and other guests had headed outside amid the power outage.
In a statement to Nexstar’s WDCW on Wednesday, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) said they have identified a person of interest in the investigation.
“This is not at this time a criminal investigation, so to be clear, he is not a suspect,” said the LCSO, in part.
According to the sheriff’s office, the man is also a U.S. citizen who was vacationing in Punta Cana and may have been the last to see Konanki before she vanished. However, he was not part of the group traveling with Konanki from the University of Pittsburgh.
According to a report from Nexstar’s NewsNation, Konanki was last seen at around 4:50 a.m. on March 6. Her family says her belongings, including a phone and wallet, were left with her friends, although she’s known to always carry her phone.
The Embassy of India in the Dominican Republic has led the search efforts, working with the State Department and law enforcement on the ground, according to the LCSO. Over the weekend, Defensa Civil Dominicana posted photos of a helicopter above the water and crews on the beach searching for Konanki.
Civil defense boats search for Sudiksha Konanki, a university student from the U.S. who disappeared on a beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Monday, March. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Francesco Spotorno) Military personnel and civil defense members search for Sudiksha Konanki, a university student from the U.S. who disappeared on a beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Monday, March. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Francesco Spotorno) A military plane searches for Sudiksha Konanki, a university student from the U.S. who disappeared on a beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Monday, March. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Francesco Spotorno) Military personnel and civil defense members search for Sudiksha Konanki, a university student from the U.S. who disappeared on a beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Monday, March. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Francesco Spotorno) A drone pilot searches for Sudiksha Konanki, a university student from the U.S. who disappeared on a beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Monday, March. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Francesco Spotorno) A drone pilot searches for Sudiksha Konanki, a university student from the U.S. who disappeared on a beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Monday, March. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Francesco Spotorno) A member of civil defense canine unit searches for Sudiksha Konanki, a university student from the U.S. who disappeared on a beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Monday, March. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Francesco Spotorno) Military personnel search for Sudiksha Konanki, a university student from the U.S. who disappeared on a beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Monday, March. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Francesco Spotorno)
The FBI has also joined the search efforts, helping the Dominican National Police conduct several interviews.
“A number of people have been interviewed by the Dominican National Police with the assistance of the FBI, and this is continuing. Our office [LCSO] will have a presence on the ground today too,” said the LCSO.
Police spoke to Konanki’s friends and a man in his 20s, who was allegedly at the beach at the same time as she was, CNN previously reported. The man was also spotted on surveillance cameras leaving the beach area alone just before 10 a.m. and has since reportedly told police multiple versions of what happened that morning. According to reports, the man has said Konanki may have been swept away by a wave or may have left when he got out of the water.
He also told authorities they both went into the ocean, but he felt sick, got out, and fell asleep on a lounge chair, according to CNN. Police have not linked the man to the person of interest.
“We just want to make sure that we can try our best to locate her and hope and pray to God everything is okay,” said LCSO Sheriff Mike Chapman in an interview with WDCW on Sunday.
Anyone with information on Konanki’s disappearance should call the sheriff’s office at (703) 777-1021.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: Fox 8 News Channel
Be First to Comment