A Dominican Republic judge has officially ruled that the case of a major witness would be closed after the loss of University of Pittsburgh student Suzikasha Conanki during spring break.
On Friday, Judge Edwin Liho issued a full written statement detailing the legal inference behind his decision to grant habeas corpora filed on behalf of 22-year-old Joshua Stephen Libe, officially concluded the case against him.
A detailed judgment does not constitute a new decision, the statement reads as the original judgment announced at the end of the March 17 hearing is immediately valid and enforceable.
A Dominican Republic judge supported the warrants of habeas in Libe, giving him the ability to move freely within the country until the hearing on March 28th.
Missing American in Dominican Republic: Key Witness Joshua Libe leaves the country
Joshua Libe will arrive at the courts of the Dominican Republic on Tuesday, March 18th, 2025 with his father, Albert Libe. Libe is a key witness to the disappearance of Sudisha Conanki, an American college student who went missing while swimming in Pantakana Beach on March 6th. (Fox News Digital)
Before the judge could determine that the situation had been violated, Reeve had drilled holes in RIU Republica under strict police surveillance. His restrictions included the confiscation of his cell phone and passport.
Libe’s lawyer, as a witness, has argued in court that police control over his 11 days of movements, not the suspect, was illegal.
“On March 18th, following the end of the Habeassay Society, which ordered the release of the client, Joshua Riib, the prosecutor’s office at La Altagracia, informed him that he was ready to return his passport,” said Riibe’s lawyer. “Joshua appreciated this decision, but for privacy reasons, he chose to apply for a new passport at the US Consulate, which was issued immediately.
The Libe is believed to be one of the last people to see the 20-year-old Conanki before disappearing from Lurepubrica in Punta Cana, the beach behind the resort, early in the morning of March 6th.
Missing American college student seen in security footage of a new hotel before losing
Suddiksha Conanki, 20, from northern Virginia, was reported missing on Thursday, March 6 after disappearing from a beach in the Dominican Republic. (handouts, left, and Defensive Citizen Dominicana, right.)
Surveillance video shows him and Conanki went to the beach with the group around 4:15am. Most of them were seen remaining on the beach at around 6am. Libe returned himself a few hours later, but Conanki’s whereabouts remain unclear almost two weeks later.
According to a leaked transcript of an interview with police, Libe told investigators that he and Conanki were both pulled away from the coast by a strong current, and they had a hard time retrieving it. He finally saw her walking through the deep waters of her knees before vomiting and falling asleep in a chair on the beach.
American College Student Suddiksha Konanki’s Lost Disappearance in the Dominican Republic: Timeline
Sudiksha Konanki’s parents speak out after their daughter’s death. (FOX 5 DC)
Her parents asked in a letter to Dominican authorities that she was declared dead on Monday, March 17th.
“We continue to work to support legitimate procedures and constitutional guarantees established under Article 69 of the Constitution,” a representative from Guzman Aliza shared in a press release. “This rule strengthens these fundamental principles and strengthens trust in the Dominican Republic’s judicial system.”
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“This positive outcome was achieved through the dedication and tireless efforts of our legal team. Guzman Aliza sticks to his commitment to defending the rule of law, ensuring that citizens and foreigners can trust in the protection of their fundamental rights in the Dominican Republic.”
Michael Ruiz, Greg Wehner, Mara Robles and Bryan Llenas of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, murder, national crime cases, illegal immigration and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
