Laken Hope Riley was identified by police as the 22-year-old Georgia college student whose body was found on the University of Georgia campus on February 22 after she went jogging at the university’s intramural fields.
Police said in a press conference on February 23 that they have a suspect in custody: Jose Antonio Ibarra. He is now accused of Riley’s murder. Ibarra is 26 and not a U.S. citizen, according to the chief. In the press conference, Chief Jeffrey Clark revealed that Riley’s cause of death was “blunt-force trauma.”
Clark said investigators believe that Ibarra, who lived in an apartment in Athens, did not know Riley but rather murdered her as a crime of “opportunity.” He lived in an apartment in Athens, Georgia, that police are currently searching, Clark said. The chief said he wasn’t yet clear on the specific details of Ibarra’s immigration status other than confirming he is not a U.S. citizen and is possibly from Venezuela. The suspect is 26, according to the chief, and he is under arrest.
MugshotJose Antonio Ibarra.
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.” She also reported that Ibarra was accused of injuring a child in New York five months ago.
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.
“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.
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
CNN reported that Riley was an “Augusta University College of Nursing student at its campus in Athens,” not a student at the University of Georgia. Riley had “visible injuries” when her body was found around 1 p.m., according to the Athens Banner-Herald. CNN reported that Riley was “killed.”
Here’s what you need to know:
The University’s Statement Says ‘Foul Play Is Suspected’ in the Death of Laken Hope Riley
Facebook (Laken Hope Riley)Laken Hope Riley
The university’s statement indicates that foul play is suspected.
“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 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.
The Body of Laken Hope Riley Was Discovered in a Wooded Area
Facebook (Laken Riley)Laken Riley.
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.
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.
The Mom of Laken Riley Wrote That Her Daughter Was Going to Be a ‘Phenomenal Nurse’
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.
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! 🎉🎉🎉”
In December, she wrote,
To say I’m proud of Laken is an understatement! The Dean of Augusta University called her (while she was checking out at Starbucks 😂) to tell her she had been accepted into the nursing program. Laken was so excited!!! So glad she was with friends when she got the call so they could celebrate together 🎉🎉🎉. Her acceptance email came shortly after the phone call. This girl works harder than anyone I know. All her hard work has paid off!!! I can’t wait to see God’s plans for her bright future ❤️. I love you beyond measure Laken!!!!
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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