The student, Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was on a spring break trip to Punta Cana when she disappeared earlier this month, leading to a massive search effort and an investigation.

Investigators continue to search for a college student from Virginia who vanished earlier this month while visiting the Dominican Republic with five other people during spring break from classes. Sudiksha Konanki was last seen March 6 during a power outage at the Riu República Hotel in the beach resort town

A man who investigators believe was the last person to see missing US college student Sudiksha Konanki alive appeared in a Dominican Republic court Tuesday to ask it to grant him freedom, arguing Dominican authorities have inappropriately restrained his movements without charges since the 20-year-old woman’s disappearance.