Mugshot/Facebook (Laken Riley)
Jose Antonio Ibarra was named as the suspect in the murder of college student Laken Hope Riley, who was attacked while jogging on the University of Georgia’s campus on February 22.
That’s according to the University of Georgia Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark, who released the information in a press conference.
“We have a suspect in custody for Laken’s murder,” said Clark. “We are obtaining arrest warrants for Jose Antonio Ibarra.” The chief said that Ibarra is not a citizen of the United States; journalist Ali Bradley of NewsNation is reporting that Ibarra was arrested five months ago in New York and accused of injuring a child.
Jose Ibarra “is a Venezuelan national who crossed illegally into El Paso, Texas, in September 2022 and was released into the U.S. via parole,” Fox News reported.
Riley’s cause of death was “blunt-force trauma,” the chief said. The body of Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at August University College of Nursing in Athens, Georgia, was discovered on the University of Georgia’s campus on February 22 after she went jogging at the intramural fields.
Ibarra, 26, is now accused of Riley’s murder and a series of other charges associated with her death. In the news conference, Clark confirmed Riley’s name and called the murder “heartbreaking.”
Over the years, a number of female joggers have been murdered in the U.S. In 2018, a man in the country illegally, Christhian Bahena Rivera, was convicted in the murder of Iowa college student Mollie Tibbetts, who disappeared while jogging, according to The Des Moines Register.
The police chief in Georgia said Friday that there is no indication that Ibarra committed other similar offenses.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Jose Antonio Ibarra Is Not a U.S. Citizen & May Be From Venezuela, the Chief Says
MugshotJose Antonio Ibarra.
In the news conference, the chief said that Ibarra is not a U.S. citizen. “He lives here in Athens but is not a U.S. citizen,” said Clark.
Asked about details of Ibarra’s immigration status, Clark said he was not sure yet.
“I don’t know his full status,” Clark said. “As far as undocumented, I’m not sure as that has not been confirmed. I just know he’s not a citizen of the United States.”
Asked where Ibarra is from, Clark said he believed the suspect was from Venezuela, but he was still working to confirm that information. He doesn’t turn up in popular U.S. data mining sites.
Facebook (Laken Riley)Laken Riley.
However, Ali Bradley, a journalist with NewsNation, reported that “multiple DHS sources confirm the suspect in UGA student, Laken Riley’s murder—José Antonio Ibarra is here illegally from Venezuela. CBP documents show he crossed in September of 2022 into El Paso, Texas and was released due to lack of detention space.”
Bradley added: “The 26 year old from Venezuela was arrested today by ICE-ERO Atlanta.”
According to Fox 6, Ibarra’s older brother Diego Ibarra, 29, was arrested for having a “fake green card.” Diego Ibarra was previously arrested for OWI, theft by shoplifting, and failing to appear, the television station reported.
Officials say Riley went for a run on the University of Georgia’s Athens campus yesterday and was later found dead.
Ibarra has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another, Clark said. He is being transported to the jail. Police have searched Ibarra’s apartment, according to the chief.
“Earlier this afternoon, you received a timely warning from the University of Georgia Police Department regarding an individual whose body was found in a wooded area at the UGA Intramural Fields. The woman had been reported missing after failing to return home from a run at the Intramural Fields this morning,” the University of Georgia wrote in a statement on its website on February 22.
In an X post, the university wrote, “A suspect in the murder of Laken Riley has been taken into custody by the University of Georgia Police Department. At this time, there are no indications of a continuing threat to the UGA campus related to this matter.”
2. Police Believe Jose Antonio Ibarra Did ‘Not Know’ Laken Riley But Rather ‘This Was a Crime of Opportunity’
Police have a mobile command center set up at an apartment complex near Lake Herrick where 22-year-old Laken Riley was found dead Thursday. @FOX5Atlanta
The chief said in the news conference that Ibarra did not know the college student. He said there is not a continuing threat to the community. Chris Hosey, the director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, also appeared at the press conference.
“At this time, the investigation suggests that they had no relationship. He did not know her at all. I think this was a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual and bad things happen,” Clark said, adding that Ibarra did not attend school at the University of Georgia campus.
“The evidence suggests this was a solo act,” the chief said. He said there is no other motive than “this was just a crime of opportunity.”
The university previously previously said in the statement that foul play was suspected but had withheld specifics. Riley had “visible injuries” when her body was found around 1 p.m., according to the Athens Banner-Herald.
According to the Athens Banner-Herald, Riley’s body was discovered by a University of Georgia police officer “in a wooded area behind Lake Herrick at the intramural fields off College Station Road,” which is a “popular place for students and others to walk and jog.”
Police were notified by a friend when Riley did not return home from jogging, the Banner-Herald reported.
3. Video Footage Helped Lead Police to Suspect Jose Antonio Ibarra, Who Was Arrested 5 Months Ago in New York, Reports Say
Facebook (Laken Hope Riley)Laken Hope Riley
Journalist Bradley also reported that Ibarra “was arrested 5 months ago in New York. Records show he was arrested on 9/14/23 in Queens, NY for injury to child less than 17 and no license.”
According to the chief, police have video footage that helped lead to Ibarra’s arrest.
The chief says Ibarra does not have an “extensive criminal history” but he was not more specific. He called the homicide a “very isolated incident” and the first murder at the University of Georgia in 30 years.
According to WSB-TV, police “swarmed an apartment complex off S. Milledge Avenue” after news broke that they have a person of interest in the case.
“We have been fully briefed on this terrible situation. Foul play is suspected, and we are already receiving support from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Athens-Clarke County Police Department to investigate this crime. We want to assure you that the safety and welfare of our campus community is our top concern,” UGA’s earlier statement says.
The statement continues:
If you think you have any information related to this incident, we urge you to contact the UGA Police Department immediately at 706-542-2200. In addition, all students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to download and use the UGA Safe app, which offers several important safety features, including emergency notification alerts and the ability to share location in real-time with the police, among others. We also recommend that you travel in groups when possible and be aware of your surroundings.
The past 24 hours have been a traumatic time for our University. Our student body is grieving the sudden death of one our students in Brumby Hall last night. And as we continue to mourn that tragic loss of life, today’s devastating news will uniquely test the resolve of our campus community, particularly our students.
We are announcing that classes on the Athens campus are cancelled after 5:30 p.m. this evening, February 22. They will remain cancelled tomorrow. We will resume classes on Monday, February 26.
4. Laken Riley’s Mother Described Her Daughter as Smart, Hard-Working, Kind & Thoughtful
Facebook (Laken Riley)Laken Riley.
Laken Riley’s Facebook page contains a few photos of her on a beach and in a graduation scene. The page says she attended the University of Georgia and was in the class of 2024. However, she had switched universities.
Riley’s mother posted frequently on Facebook about her daughter’s promising future.
Riley’s mom wrote on Facebook on February 3, “Proud mom moment! Laken made Dean’s List (her name is in the top right corner). This girl works harder than any one I know! She is going to be a phenomenal nurse ❤️🎉”
In January, Riley’s mother wrote, “Happy birthday to my beautiful, smart, hard working, kind and thoughtful Laken 🎂🎉. I am so proud of you and love you beyond words. I wish I could be with you today. I hope you have an awesome day celebrating with your friends! 🎉🎉🎉”
5. Laken Riley Belonged to the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority & Was From Woodstock, Georgia
Laken Hope Riley went out for a run just after noon on Feb 22. Her body was found after she was reported missing. Jose Antonio Ibarra has been charged with murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, hindering a 911 call & concealing her death 💔 #LakenRiley @thecrimeanalyst
According to the Athens Banner-Herald, Riley was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.
“The victim was an undergraduate student at the University of Georgia until the spring of 2023, and then she became a nursing student at the Augusta University nursing program in Athens,” UGA spokesperson Cole Sosebee said to CNN.
Riley was from Woodstock, Georgia, according to social media posts.
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