A 26-year-old immigrant has been identified and charged in the death of University of Georgia student Laken Riley in Athens.
Riley, 22, was found dead yesterday afternoon after her roommate reported her missing, saying she hadn’t returned from her run.
University of Georgia police have now charged José Antonio Ibarra with allegedly kidnapping and killing the young student.
Authorities have confirmed that Ibarra is not a U.S. citizen and did not know or have any relationship with Riley.
While his immigration status has not yet been verified, officials believe he entered the country illegally from Venezuela, according to NewsNation.
He has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another person.
José Antonio Ibarra, 26, has been identified and charged with the alleged murder of nursing student Laken Riley, 22, at the University of Georgia in Athens.
He has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another person.
Sources also reportedly told the channel that Ibarra emigrated to El Paso, Texas, in September 2022 and was released due to lack of detention space.
UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark told reporters at a news conference this evening that officers searched Ibarra’s Athens apartment and evidence shows he acted alone.
‘He didn’t know her at all. I think this is a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual and bad things happened,” Clark said.
‘The evidence is solid. It is supported by key community input, physical evidence and expert police work. It is important to note that we have video images from the security camera network on our campus.’
He reported that there was no clear history of violence for the accused and that his criminal record is not extensive.
According fox5The defendant is expected to be booked into the Clarke County Jail.
UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark told reporters at a news conference this evening that officers searched Ibarra’s Athens apartment and evidence shows he acted alone.
Authorities have confirmed that Ibarra is not a U.S. citizen and did not know or have any relationship with Riley.
Riley appears in a photo posted last month on her Facebook account.
The University of Georgia said Riley graduated from the school in 2023 and enrolled in the nursing program at Augusta University, which has a campus in Athens.
UGA urged students to travel “in groups” and canceled classes after Riley was found dead with “visible injuries” in a wooded area.
Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz said she joined the community in “deep sadness over today’s murder” and said the city was working with authorities to bring the investigation to a “quick conclusion.”
Officers searching the area found the woman’s body in a wooded area behind Herrick Lake.
The University of Georgia said Riley graduated from the school in 2023 and enrolled in the nursing program at Augusta University, which has a campus in Athens.
Police search a wooded area at the University of Georgia after Thursday’s shocking discovery.
That area is across a busy street from a large dormitory and dining complex on what is commonly called ‘East Campus.’ Most of the students in those dormitories are freshmen.
“The last 24 hours have been a traumatic time for our university,” the University of Georgia said in a statement online, acknowledging that the news came just hours after the unrelated “sudden death” of another student the night before.
“And as we continue to mourn that tragic loss of life, today’s devastating news will uniquely test the resolve of our university community, particularly our students.”
“We have been fully informed about this terrible situation,” the statement continued. ‘Foul play is suspected and we are already receiving support from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department to investigate this crime.
‘We want to assure you that the safety and well-being of our university community is our primary concern.
‘If you believe you have any information related to this incident, we urge you to contact the UGA Police Department immediately at 706-542-2200.
‘Additionally, 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 real-time location with police, among other.
“We also recommend traveling in groups when possible and being aware of your surroundings.”
‘We announce that classes on the Athens campus are canceled after 5:30 pm this afternoon, February 22. They will still be canceled tomorrow. We will resume classes on Monday, February 26,’ they added.
UGA urged students to travel “in groups” and canceled classes after Riley was found dead with “visible injuries” in a wooded area. Riley is seen with her parents
Several law enforcement agencies saw an apartment complex swarming near the wooded area where Riley’s body was found.
News of the killing came the same day House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized President Joe Biden for finally proposing executive action to crack down on illegal immigration after millions of migrants flooded into the United States since he took office. .
Since Biden took office in 2021, more than 7.2 million migrants have entered the United States through the southern border.
That’s more people than the population of 36 states. Arizona, for example, had 7.1 million residents according to the 2020 census.
After taking office, President Biden immediately canceled several Trump-era border initiatives, including the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy that required migrants seeking asylum to remain in Mexico until their court hearing date in the US. USA
Biden also halted construction of the US-Mexico border within days of taking office.
President Mike Johnson criticized Biden for saying he needed Republicans to fix the border.
President Joe Biden said he has done everything he can to solve the border crisis, but now the White House is considering executive action similar to Trump’s to combat migration.
Since Biden took office in 2021, more than 7.2 million migrants have entered the US through the southern border
But nowThe 81-year-old president would be reflecting on the possibility of take executive action at the border As surveys indicate, it is a priority issue for voters and legislators rejected a negotiated border bill earlier this month.
He is studying the possibility of using the Immigration and Nationality Act, which gives the president broad leeway to block the entry of certain immigrants, to close the border if more than 8,500 try to cross in a day.
The top leader of the Republican Party accuses the president of waiting until the election year to take action, which he should have done months ago. Biden previously said he couldn’t provide border security without the support of the Republican Party in Congress.
“Americans have lost faith in this president and will not be fooled by election year tricks that do not actually secure the border,” President Mike Johnson wrote in a statement obtained by DailyMail.com.
“Nor will they forget that the president created this catastrophe and has so far refused to use his executive power to fix it.”
“These reports also underscore how blatantly and intentionally President Biden misled the public when he claimed he had done everything in his power to secure the border,” Johnson continued.
The speaker wants Biden to reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy and end the administration’s “abuse” of the parole system.