Parents of missing university student ask police to declare their daughter dead

Riibe claimed he and Konanki made it to shore before she disappeared (FOX 5 Washington DC)

What has Riibe said about his encounter with Konanki?

Riibe has been collaborating with investigators in the search, and on Sunday (March 16) he was seen by NBC News on a beach in Punta Cana with investigators, pointing towards the sea.

Last week, Riibe told investigators he and Konanki were in ‘waist-deep water’ prior to her disappearance.

A transcript of the interview obtained by NBC News cites Riibe saying that a wave took them both ‘out to sea’, during which he ‘swallowed a lot of water’.

The student claimed he got Konanki back to shore.

He said: “The last time I saw her, I asked if she was OK. I didn’t hear her answer. I looked around and didn’t see anyone. I thought she’d grabbed her things and left.”

Dominican authorities confiscated the student’s passport as the investigation continues, and the law firm representing Riibe has confirmed he has ‘been confined to the hotel since the investigation began’.

They told NBC: “He is permanently escorted by the police anywhere he goes. So no, he is not free to leave.”

Konanki’s parents have said the declaration of death will allow the family to ‘begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence’.

“While no declaration can truly ease our grief, we trust that this step will bring some closure and enable us to honor her memory,” they wrote in the letter.