PUNTA

Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota who has not been accused of a crime but is considered a crucial witness in the case, has been held under surveillance at the resort since Konanki was reported missing.

Beach loungers sit on the sand by the sea at the RIU Republica Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Konanki, 20, was last seen on March 6 on a beach outside the five-star RIU Republica Resort in the Dominican Republic. (Santiago Baez for Fox News Digital)

His family has called his continued required presence in the country “irregular.”

Riibe is not accused of a crime, but authorities confiscated his passport while investigating his account of what happened.

A hearing on the habeas petition is expected to be held Tuesday afternoon, sources said, but the timing could change.