Featured Image Credit: Sudiksha Konanki/Facebook
Topics: US News, News, World News
Niamh Shackleton
There's been a major development in the case of missing student Sudiksha Konanki.
Sudiksha has been missing since early March after disappearing while on spring break with friends in the Dominican Republic.
The 20-year-old was last seen in the early hours of March 6, and it's believed that Josh Riibe was the last person to see her alive.
CCTV footage showed the pair together headed towards the beach at 4am on the day in question, but Josh later returned to their hotel without Sudiksha in tow.
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With this in mind, Josh was named as a person of interest in Sudiksha's disappearance.
As he was a person of interest, the 22-year-old had his cell phone and passport confiscated from him by Dominican authorities and was prevented from going home to the US.
His lawyers demanded he be released or charged with a crime after he was detained longer than the maximum period of 48 hours.
And now, following a ruling earlier this month, Josh has been allowed to return home to the States after being issued a new passport.
It had been said that the student had been detained 'under irregular conditions'.
His lawyers told PEOPLE in a statement issued on March 19: "On March 18th, following the conclusion of the habeas corpus hearing that ordered the release of our client, Joshua Riibe, the Prosecutor's Office of La Altagracia informed him of their readiness to return his passport.
"While Joshua appreciated this decision, he chose, for privacy reasons, to apply for a new passport at the US Consulate, which was promptly issued."
"We are pleased to announce that Joshua and his father are currently traveling back to their home in the United States," they added at the time.
Now, in another update, a judge has officially closed the case against Josh, clearing him of any wrongdoing - although it's important to note he was never a suspect and never accused of any crime.
The decision comes after Sudiksha's parents called for his name to be cleared and that their daughter be declared legally dead as a result of drowning, despite her body not being found.
In a letter penned to the Dominican authorities, the grieving parents said: "We understand that certain legal procedures must be followed and are prepared to comply with any necessary formalities or documentation.
"Initiating this process will allow our family to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence."
Police had previously stated that they didn't believe there was any evidence of 'foul play'.
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