It's Giving Strong Natalee Holloway Vibes

Something is fishy in Punta Cana.

This young woman, who I believe was pre-med at the University of Pittsburgh, disappeared in the Dominican Republic on March 6. I am writing this on March 11. By the time you stumble across this, she may be found — hopefully alive, but logically not, given that 20 year-old women probably don’t go five days without checking in via phone somewhere, especially when on Spring Break.

Her name is Sudiksha Konanki, and you can find articles about her all over the Internet at the present moment. The basic story seems to be:

• She was on the beach with friends around 4am.

• Her girlfriends went back and she stayed with a guy on the beach.

• The guy is apparently on resort video returning from the beach at close to 10am, so five-six hours later.

• There is one report that he said (when he talked to authorities) she was “washed out with a big wave.”

• The friends did not report her missing until 4pm that day, so 12 hours after they left her on the beach with a guy.

• The general dichotomy consensus here is “Drowned in an accident” vs. “The guy did something to her.”

It gives major Natalee Holloway vibes, which BTW was twenty years ago if you want to feel old.

I think we need to unpack this quickly and get a few things out of the way here.