Loudoun County Deputies Identify Person of Interest in Missing Student Case

Authorities in Loudoun County have identified a 24-year-old man as a person of interest in the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki, a student from the University of Pittsburgh who went missing in the Dominican Republic. Security footage shows her with friends prior to her disappearance. While no criminal accusations have been made against the individual, the investigation is currently viewed as an accident, with drowning considered a potential cause.

Authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, have designated a 24-year-old man as a person of interest in the case of missing college student Sudiksha Konanki, who vanished last week during a trip to the Dominican Republic. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office communicated on Wednesday that while a person of interest has been established, it is important to clarify that “this is not at this time a criminal case, which would be different.”

Recent security footage has surfaced, showing Konanki in the company of friends heading to the beach on the morning of March 6 while at their hotel in Punta Cana. The footage subsequently captures four friends returning to the hotel approximately one hour later, with Konanki and the individual not appearing on the cameras. A man who was with Konanki alleged to the police that they were swimming when they were caught by a wave, and later he fell asleep on the beach.

Despite the designation as a person of interest, no crimes have been attributed to him, and he is not regarded as a suspect by the Dominican authorities. Konanki was reported missing on March 6 while on spring break with friends from the University of Pittsburgh, where she is studying medicine.

Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman has relayed that Konanki was with a fellow traveler, as well as several individuals who were not part of their original group. “They were not people that traveled with her. They were not people from the University of Pittsburgh. They were people that they met down there,” Sheriff Chapman disclosed.

Sheriff Chapman has also been in touch with U.S. federal authorities, including the FBI, who are currently assisting the Dominican authorities on-site. At this juncture, the investigation is classified as an accident, with indications suggesting that Konanki may have drowned.

The case of Sudiksha Konanki’s disappearance has led authorities to name a person of interest, though he has not been accused of any criminal activity. With ongoing investigations and assistance from federal agencies, officials believe her disappearance may be the result of an accidental drowning. The situation underscores the complexities surrounding the case and the need for continued investigation as the search proceeds.

Original Source: foxsanantonio.com