First on FOX – Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – Beth Holloway said there is a significant difference between her search for her daughter Natalie 20 years ago and for 20-year-old Sudikesha Conanki, who disappeared in the Dominican Republic last week.
Holloway, whose daughter Natalie disappeared from the Caribbean island of Alba on May 30, 2005, was an outspoken advocate for student safety after her daughter's death.
The loss of American college student Sudiksha Konanki and the loss of Natalie Holloway are linked due to similarities in the case.
Beth Holloway broke her silence in the incident in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
Beth Holloway deals with missing American college students and encourages “full yen” safety plans
Signs of Natalie Holloway, an Alabama High School alumnus who disappeared during her graduation trip to Alba, are seen as ribbons blown away her memories on Friday, June 10, 2005 at Palm Beach, in front of her hotel in Alba. (AP Photo/Leslie Mazok)
“The family is very fortunate to have an American embassy there,” said Beth Holloway, Natalie Holloway's mother. “I didn't have that in Alba.”
Both young women disappeared in the Caribbean country during their holidays.
Natalie Holloway disappeared at a hotel in Alba to celebrate her high school graduation, while Conanki disappeared alongside her friends from the University of Pittsburgh on a spring break trip at a comprehensive resort in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic.
Natalie Holloway last saw him live on May 30, 2005, leaving behind Jolan van der Slutt and bar. He was the main suspect in her loss for the next 18 years and eventually admitted to murdering her on October 3, 2023 after he pleaded guilty to the case of Frightor.
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Conanki was last seen on surveillance cameras, and five people entered the beach at the Ryurepublica Hotel in Punta Cana at 4:15am on Thursday, Dominican national police said in a statement.
Surveillance video obtained by Noticias Sin captured a group walking towards the beach at a five-star resort. The footage is the last time authorities tracked down Conanki before Virginia residents disappeared.
The disappearance of Conanki It prompted investigations in both the Dominican Republic and the US, sparking widespread speculation about the events leading up to that.
No American college students seen in resort surveillance in the Dominican Republic
Sudiksha Konanki on Facebook selfie. The 20-year-old junior at the University of Pittsburgh has been missing since March 6th. She disappeared during a spring break trip to a five-star resort in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic. (Sudiksha konanki/facebook)
Since the murder of her daughter, Beth Holloway has defended her on her behalf, saying the disappearance of 20-year-old Conanki should be a warning from travelers.
“I created a Full Sale Safety Plan for travelers and citizens of all ages to remind them to spend as much time as planning where travelers and citizens of all ages, what to wear, and who to go with,” Holloway said.
American College Student Suddiksha Konanki's Lost Disappearance in the Dominican Republic: Timeline
Conanki's father, subbarayudu knanki, asked authorities to expand the investigation.
“In four days, if she were in the water, she would probably be scattered across the coast,” he said. I told WTOP-FM. “She can't be found so I'm asking her to investigate multiple options, such as invitations and aiding.”
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Authorities have not named the suspect in an ongoing investigation.
Thomas Julia, a spokesman for the Loudoun County, Virginia office, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday night that 24-year-old Joshua Riibe was a “interesting person” for the college student's loss of, but not a criminal case, not a person who is still missing.
On his release Tuesday, Dominican National Police said it was “reviewing targeted individuals who were close to the victim at the time they lost their loss.”
“this Includes hotel employees “Where Conanki and her peers were staying, the goal is to gather information to support her movements, interactions and relevant details of her investigation,” they said.
Members of the Civil Defense Dog Unit search on Monday for Sudiksha Konanki, a US university student who disappeared on the beach in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic last week. (AP/FrancescoSpotorno)
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When asked about Monday's report that Conanki may have owned, a spokesman for the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office told Fox News Digital Authority that he had never seen the evidence presented at this time.
Stepheny Price from Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
