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Lessons from Natalee Holloway Case in Search for Missing American Student
As the search for a missing American college student who vanished off a beach in the Dominican Republic continues, a retired FBI special agent suggests investigators can learn from past cases like Natalee Holloway’s.
Jason Pack, a retired FBI supervisory special agent, told Fox News Digital that foreign authorities often rely too heavily on voluntary cooperation from persons of interest. "The FBI should be urging Dominican officials to immediately seize electronic devices, examine travel history, and conduct forensic analysis on locations where she was last seen," he said.
Pack, who formerly led the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team, emphasized that while the FBI cannot take over the investigation, it can use diplomatic channels to push Dominican authorities to prioritize key steps, provide forensic assistance, and coordinate intelligence-sharing to uncover new leads.
The disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki, a pre-med student at the University of Pittsburgh, has drawn comparisons to Natalee Holloway’s case in 2005. Natalee’s mother, Beth Holloway, highlighted a key difference between the two searches: the presence of a U.S. embassy in the Dominican Republic.
"The family is so fortunate to have an American embassy there to work with," Beth Holloway told Fox News Digital. "I did not have that in Aruba." Both young women vanished in Caribbean countries while on vacation.
Natalee Holloway disappeared during a high school graduation trip in Aruba, while Konanki vanished during a spring break trip at an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana. Natalee was last seen leaving a bar with Joran van der Sloot, who admitted to her murder in October 2023 after years of being the prime suspect.
BETH HOLLOWAY IDENTIFIES KEY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUDIKSHA KONANKI CASE AND HER DAUGHTER’S
Konanki was last seen on surveillance footage entering the beach at the Riu República Hotel in Punta Cana with five others around 4:15 a.m. The video, obtained by Noticias SIN, is the last time authorities tracked her before she disappeared.
Her case has sparked widespread speculation, prompting investigations by law enforcement in both the Dominican Republic and the U.S.
AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT SUDIKSHA KONANKI’S DISAPPEARANCE IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: TIMELINE
Beth Holloway, who has advocated for student safety since her daughter’s disappearance, urged travelers to prioritize safety. "I have created the full-circle safety plan for travelers and citizens of all ages to remind them to spend as much time planning the end of their outing as they do planning where to go, what to wear, and who they are going with," she said.
While initial reports suggested Konanki may have drowned, experts believe she would have washed ashore or been found by now. Authorities are urging the public not to jump to conclusions as the investigation continues.
Police have been searching the coastline with boats, dive teams, and helicopters. The FBI is involved, and the sheriff from Konanki’s Virginia hometown has sent two detectives to assist.
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Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Michael Ruiz, and Ashley Papa contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected].
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