Because the seek for lacking spring break school scholar Sudiksha Konanki enters its eighth day, a retired FBI agent mentioned that with every day passing there’s a lack of “forensic capabilities.”
“There can be proof on the physique to have the ability to decide the reason for loss of life,” retired FBI agent Scott Duffey instructed Fox Information Digital. “With daily passing, if she was not taken by kidnapping, and he or she is the truth is out within the water, then with every day passing, there’s a lack of some forensic capabilities.”
Duffey mentioned the worldwide investigation with a number of governments concerned – each America and India – was sophisticated by Dominican Republic authorities suggesting that Konanki drowned after going into the water after an evening out with buddies.
“You deliver upon two main governments which might be saying, ‘Earlier than we decide to the drowning idea, let’s perform a little bit extra investigation,'” he mentioned. “Now, with out a physique, the Dominican authorities ought to by no means, ever make a remark like that. It does a disservice in the beginning to the household, however, after all, to the repute of the police division.”
AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT SUDIKSHA KONANKI’S DISAPPEARANCE IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: TIMELINE
Sudiksha Konanki in a Fb selfie picture. The 20-year-old College of Pittsburgh junior has been lacking since March 6, when she vanished throughout a spring break journey to a five-star resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. (Sudiksha Konanki/Fb)
On Thursday, Dominican Republic authorities modified their tune and mentioned in a launch that the seek for the lacking College of Pittsburgh scholar now extends “past an unintended occasion” and “examines all variables.”
Duffey mentioned that authorities within the Dominican Republic saying that it appeared that the 20-year-old drowned have been “preliminary missteps.”
“I do consider there are missteps while you name one thing so rapidly earlier than,” he mentioned. “Was the crime scene investigation accomplished? Was [Konanki’s] clothes discovered?”
WATCH:
Konanki was final seen on lodge surveillance video on March 6 after 4 a.m. She was final seen strolling with a younger man who had his arms wrapped round her shoulders.
The younger man beforehand seen with Konanki is seen on surveillance footage coming into the inside of the lodge round 9 a.m. on March 6.
MISSING AMERICAN IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: NO SUSPECTS AS SEARCH FOR SUDIKSHA KONANKI REACHES ONE WEEK
La Policia Nacional, the nation’s nationwide police pressure, later mentioned the younger man is underneath investigation.
He reportedly mentioned he was within the water on the similar seashore, and authorities have been questioning him in an try and corroborate his model of occasions, in keeping with a translation of a Spanish-language assertion from police.
Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was final seen on a seashore exterior the five-star RIU Republica Resort within the Dominican Republic on March 6, 2025. (Santiago Baez for Fox Information Digital)
Native outlet Noticias SIN equally reported {that a} man, who was a visitor on the similar resort, was the final particular person seen with Konanki and reportedly instructed police a number of completely different variations of what occurred.
The person reportedly mentioned he entered the water with Konanki however that the tough surf made him sick, so he went again to shore and left Konanki within the water.
In one other model of the story, he mentioned he felt sick and left Konanki in knee-deep water earlier than he handed out on the seashore. The person moreover claimed he noticed Konanki strolling on the seashore earlier than he fell asleep on the seashore, in keeping with the native report.
Authorities mentioned that they discovered her sandals and a sarong-style seashore robe on a chair by the seashore.
Native authorities seek for lacking U.S. school scholar Sudiksha Konanki in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on March 11, 2025. (Santiago Baez for Fox Information Digital)
Duffey mentioned that the proof and the witness testimony “inform us a narrative.”
“The massive query is what was the intoxication stage, if any, for each of them?” he mentioned. “I do not need to forged a shadow upon this particular person just because he is intoxicated and thereby his reminiscence is warped.”
“He is remembering issues in a different way, after which it is pure that the story goes to vary,” Duffey mentioned. “And the proof, whether or not that be vomit discovered on the seashore, may also help corroborate the person’s testimony.”
U.S. school scholar Sudiksha Konanki went lacking whereas on trip along with her buddies in Punta Cana on March 6, 2025. (Fox Information Graphics)
The retired FBI agent mentioned authorities “can get a very good sense” if their interview topic is being misleading or simply not recalling the main points.
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“And so long as he is persevering with to be cooperative, as a result of he has nothing to cover, then that can lend to further info popping out,” he mentioned.
Fox Information Digital has reached out to the FBI for remark.
Fox Information Digital’s Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
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