Missing Sudiksha Konanki: Ret. FBI agent identifies 'critical' steps likely taken by authorities
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Sudiksha Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student from Virginia, disappeared in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on March 6
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A retired FBI special agent shared his analysis and critical steps investigators could be taking in the search for a missing American college student who vanished from a beach in the Dominican Republic.

"The FBI can’t take over this investigation but will use diplomatic channels to push Dominican authorities to prioritize key investigative steps, provide forensic assistance, and coordinate intelligence-sharing that could uncover new leads," Jason Pack told Fox News Digital.

Pack, a retired FBI supervisory special agent, former leader of the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team and acting legal attaché, explained how U.S. authorities are likely working behind the scenes to assist in the search for Sudiksha Konanki, 20, a University of Pittsburgh student who disappeared from a beach in the Dominican Republic in the early morning hours on March 6.

"Authorities should be cross-referencing surveillance footage with phone data and banking transactions to identify her last known movements," Pack said. "They should also be using cognitive interview techniques on key witnesses to detect inconsistencies rather than accepting surface-level statements."

Former FBI special agent and Fox News contributor Nicole Parker shared her analysis on the search for Konanki and said what she thinks is most important as an investigator is to determine who she was last seen with.

Parker said that since investigators have Konanki's phone and wallet, they will be combing through all of that information and figuring out everything they can about the man she was last seen with.



Authorities have not named any suspects in the ongoing investigation. On Tuesday, the Dominican National Police said it is "re-interviewing targeted individuals who were in the victim’s proximity at the time of her disappearance."

A joint investigation into Konanki's disappearance is being conducted by the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic, the Dominican National Police and the Dominican Prosecutor's Office.  is also assisting.

_Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report._

_Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com_

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