Authorities in the Dominican Republic are turning up the heat on the Iowa man who was the last person to see University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki before she went missing — grilling him into the early morning hours on Sunday.

The “person of interest” in the disappearance of missing Pitt student Sudiksha Konanki claims he saved them both from drowning before she vanished.

Joshua Riibe, a 24-year-old tourist from Iowa, has come under the spotlight, with investigators naming him a 'person of interest.'

A person of interest in the case of a missing University of Pittsburgh student broke his silence over the weekend, saying that he is focused on helping authorities in the Dominican Republic locate 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki.

According to a source involved in the investigation, Riibe, a former high school wrestler with a strong build, has been "cooperative" with authorities.

Joshua Steven Riibe, 24, has been identified as the man seen hugging and walking hand-in-hand with the 20-year-old student just hours before she vanished in the Dominican Republic.

Joshua Riibe may have been the last person to see the college student before she went missing on March 6 Joshua Riibe is speaking out for the first time since he was named a person of interest in the disappearance of college student Sudiksha Konanki.

Authorities say the man isn't a suspect but he may have been the last to see the University of Pittsburgh student.

Joshua Riibe has been detained "under irregular conditions," according to his family. He has not been named as a suspect.