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Murder of Laken Riley

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On February 22, 2024, Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student,[4] was murdered while she was jogging at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.[5] Her body was found in Oconee Forest Park near Lake Herrick;[6] her death was caused by blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.[4][7]

Murder of Laken Riley
Undated photo of Laken Riley
LocationUniversity of Georgia—Oconee Forest Park, Athens, Georgia, U.S.
Coordinates33°55′40″N 83°22′22″W / 33.9279°N 83.3728°W / 33.9279; -83.3728
DateFebruary 22, 2024
9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (EST)
Attack type
Murder by blunt trauma and asphyxiation, kidnapping, beating
VictimLaken Riley
PerpetratorJosé Antonio Ibarra
VerdictGuilty on all counts[1]
Convictions
SentenceLife imprisonment without the possibility of parole[3]

The perpetrator, José Antonio Ibarra, is a 26-year-old Venezuelan who had entered the United States illegally.[8] He was arrested by UGA police and was charged with 10 charges, including felony murder, malice murder, false imprisonment, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and kidnapping.[9][10][7] Ibarra was found guilty on all charges on November 20, 2024, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.[11]

Riley's death made international news, generating extensive media attention.[12] It sparked a debate over illegal immigration in the United States after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed Ibarra is not a U.S. citizen and was caught crossing the border but was released into the United States.[5][13] On March 7, 2024, the House of Representatives passed an immigration bill named the Laken Riley Act, requiring federal detention of illegal immigrants who commit burglary or theft.[14]

Victim

Laken Hope Riley was born on January 10, 2002, in Marietta, Georgia, to Jason Riley and Allyson Phillips.[15] She had three siblings.[16] In 2020, she graduated from River Ridge High School in Woodstock, Georgia, where she was a member of the cross-country team.[17]

Riley, who was 22 years old at the time of her death, was a nursing student at Augusta University in Athens, Georgia,[5][10] and had previously attended the University of Georgia as an undergraduate. She was an active member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority.[18]

Murder

 
 
Oconee Forest Park, Athens
 
University of Georgia
class=notpageimage|
Locations of interest in the death of Laken Riley

On February 22, 2024, Riley went for a morning run at the University of Georgia (UGA).[19] During her attack, Riley's phone called 911.[20] Riley was attacked and killed between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., according to arrest warrants.[21]

At 12:07 p.m.,[19] Riley's roommate reported her disappearance to the UGA police after she did not return.[20] At 12:38 p.m.,[22] Riley's body was discovered by UGA police in Oconee Forest Park behind Lake Herrick.[23] Her death was caused by blunt force trauma and asphyxiation, according to Athens-Clarke County Coroner.[4][5][24] UGA police described Riley's murder as a "crime of opportunity" and reported that the killer appeared to have acted alone.[5][25] There had not been a murder on the university's campus since 1983.[26]

Perpetrator

 
Mugshot of Ibarra in February 2024

The perpetrator was 26-year-old José Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan man who had entered the United States illegally in September 2022, crossing the United States' southern border with Mexico near El Paso, Texas.[5][25][8] He was apprehended by federal authorities after crossing the border, who subsequently released him into the country. Ibarra initially stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel migrant shelter in New York before taking a flight to Georgia.[27] UGA police stated that he lived in an apartment complex about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the wooded area where Riley's body was found.[10]

Ibarra had been previously arrested by both federal and state officials in multiple jurisdictions. In September 2023, Ibarra was arrested in New York City and charged with "acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation."[27][28][29][30][31] In October 2023, José and his brother, who was reported by authorities to be a member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua who temporarily worked at UGA,[32][33][34][35] were arrested by Athens police on theft charges; both were released after reportedly possessing stolen merchandise from a local Walmart.[36][37] Ibarra had a bench warrant issued for his arrest in December 2023 after failing to appear in court in a shoplifting case in Georgia.[38][27] ICE stated that it had missed opportunity to detain Ibarra after an arrest in New York because he was released by New York officials before a detainer could be issued.

After Riley's death, Ibarra was questioned by police after a jacket with Riley's hair was found in a dumpster near his apartment. Ibarra's roommate identified him as the man throwing away the jacket from surveillance footage of the dumpster. Police questioning Ibarra noticed red knuckles and scratches on his arms. Ibarra was subsequently arrested on murder charges.[39]

Criminal proceedings

On May 8, 2024, a grand jury in Clarke County indicted Ibarra with ten charges: three charges of felony murder,[40] malice murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping, aggravated assault with intent to rape, hindering a 911 call, concealing the death of another[7] and peeping Tom.[22][2] He pleaded not guilty to all charges.[41] Bail was denied.[42] The district attorney was seeking the sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.[40] In a court filing, the defense attorneys submitted a motion to move the trial to another county due to the media attention surrounding the case,[43] but Judge H. Patrick Haggard denied it.[44]

Ibarra waived his right to a jury trial and opted for a bench trial, which began on November 15, 2024. Prosecutors presented evidence that included Ibarra's DNA under Riley's fingernails and Ibarra's fingerprint on Riley's phone screen. Ibarra's defense said that evidence against him was circumstantial.[45] On November 20, 2024, Judge Haggard found him guilty of all charges and sentenced him to life in prison without possibility of parole.[11][46]

Reactions

Tributes and media attention

Riley's funeral was held on March 1, 2024, at the Woodstock City Church.[47] She was buried at Enon Cemetery in Woodstock, Georgia.[48] A memorial was made for Riley at Lake Herrick.[10] Her family said they plan to establish a foundation in her honor. Her stepfather said: "She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life moving forward in a very big way".[16] Riley's family started an online fund to raise money for the foundation, called the "Laken Hope Riley Foundation".[49][50]

Riley's murder drew widespread public interest and international media attention,[51] especially in the United States.[12][52] Riley's parents, Jason Riley and Allyson Phillips, were invited to the State of the Union by Georgia Congressman Mike Collins, but they turned down his invitation.[53] President Joe Biden mentioned the murder of Riley during the 2024 State of the Union address,[54] after Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene shouted Riley's name at the president.[55]

Sarah Dorn, writing for Forbes, said Riley's murder became a "national political case" during a "historic surge in border crossings during Biden's tenure".[5][56] Donald Trump mentioned Riley during his speech for the Republican Party's presidential nomination.[57] Riley, along with other women and girls reportedly killed by illegal immigrants including Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old Houston girl killed in June 2024, were heavily featured in Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and his political advertisements on illegal immigration and border security.[58]

Andrea Cavallier from The Independent discussed the dangers and threats that women face when they run solo, using the murders of Riley; Mollie Tibbetts, a 20-year old Iowa university student who was murdered by an illegal immigrant while she was jogging in 2018; and Karina Vetrano, a 30-year-old American woman who was murdered while running in a neighborhood of Queens, New York City, as examples.[59]

Laken Riley Act

On March 7, 2024, the House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act in a 251–170 vote, with 37 Democratic members joining all Republican members in voting for the bill. If enacted, the Laken Riley Act would mandate federal detention of illegal immigrants who commit burglary or theft and would allow states to file suit against the federal government for failing to enforce immigration laws.[60][14]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ According to Georgia state law on "Peeping Tom", a person violates the statute when they enter or remain on another's premises with the intent to act as a peeping tom. In this case, Ibarra was charged for allegedly going to a University of Georgia apartment building on the same day as the murder, looking through a window and spying on a student.[2]

References

  1. ^ Brumback, Kate (November 20, 2024). "Man convicted of murder in killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley" (News article). AP. Athens, Georgia: Associated Press. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Sayers, Devon; Levenson, Eric (May 31, 2024). "Man accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley indicted on murder and 'peeping Tom' charges". CNN.
  3. ^ Deliso, Meredith (November 20, 2024). "Laken Riley case: Suspect found guilty by judge in campus killing, sentenced to life" (News article). ABC News. ABC News. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Suspect in Georgia nursing student's murder is accused of "disfiguring her skull," court documents say". CBS News. February 27, 2024. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Wolfe, Elizabeth; Razek, Raja; Yan, Holly (February 26, 2024). "Augusta University student killed while jogging at UGA honored at vigil as the suspect's immigration status fuels debate". CNN. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  6. ^ Mayorquin, Orlando; Fadulu, Lola; Ortiz, Aimee (February 22, 2024). "Suspect Is Arrested in Killing of Woman on U. of Georgia Campus". The New York Times. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Deliso, Meredith (May 8, 2024). "Grand jury indicts Laken Riley murder suspect on 10 counts". ABC News.
  8. ^ a b Groves, Stephen (March 7, 2024). "House Republicans push bill to detain migrants accused of theft after Georgia student killed". AP News. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  9. ^ Mascaro, Lisa; Groves, Stephen (March 8, 2024). "Biden says her name — Laken Riley — at the urging of GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene". AP News. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d Fortin, Jacey (February 28, 2024). "The Killing at U. of Georgia: What We Know". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Man found guilty of murdering Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, sentenced to life". NBC News. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Bennett, Brian (February 28, 2024). "Biden Touts Crime Record as Laken Riley Case Dominates Conservative Media". Time. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  13. ^ "Slaying of Georgia student becomes part of U.S. immigration debate". The Washington Post.
  14. ^ a b Talbot, Haley (March 7, 2024). "House passes Laken Riley Act". CNN. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  15. ^ "Laken Hope Riley". Poole Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
  16. ^ a b "Laken Riley: Funeral services for murdered nursing student". Fox 5 Atlanta. March 1, 2024. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  17. ^ Cavallier, Andrea (February 23, 2024). "A nursing student went for a morning jog on campus and never returned. Her body was found shortly after lunch later that day". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  18. ^ Kersh, Lilly; Mawn, Allison (February 23, 2024). "Student found dead on UGA campus identified as 22-year-old Laken Riley". The Red & Black. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Acosta, Nicole (February 23, 2024). "Suspect Arrested After Ga. College Student Who Went on Jog Was Found Dead". People. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  20. ^ a b Alvarado, Amanda (March 6, 2024). "Laken Riley's phone called 911 during her death". CBS KKTV 11.
  21. ^ "Laken Riley murder: Jose Ibarra asks for jury trial". FOX 5 Atlanta. March 15, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Lynch, Jamiel; Faheid, Dalia (February 29, 2024). "Suspect in University of Georgia killing didn't know victim and is not a student on the campus, police say". CNN. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  23. ^ Manins, Rosie (February 29, 2024). "Laken Riley case: Man charged in UGA campus killing won't seek bond". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  24. ^ Matza, Max (May 8, 2024). "Laken Riley: Venezuelan charged with murdering Georgia nurse". BBC News.
  25. ^ a b Rissman, Kelly (February 29, 2024). "What we know about Jose Antonio Ibarra, the man charged with murdering a Georgia nursing student". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  26. ^ Dean, Hope (February 23, 2024). "Student's death at University of Georgia marks first on-campus homicide since 1983". Atlanta News First.
  27. ^ a b c "Augusta University student killed while jogging at UGA honored at vigil as the suspect's immigration status fuels debate". CNN. February 26, 2024.
  28. ^ US nursing student Laken Riley's killer sentenced to life, BBC, November 20, 2024
  29. ^ Laken Riley: Data from smart watch will show encounter with man, prosecutors say, ABC 7, November 15, 2024
  30. ^ GOP lawmakers request DHS info on Jose Ibarra, House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, February 27, 2024
  31. ^ Laken Riley Murder: Jose Ibarra Sentenced To Life Without Parole For Killing Georgia Student, Forbes, November 20, 2024
  32. ^ Reyes, Ronny (March 7, 2024). "Brother of Laken Riley's suspected killer has ties to Venezuelan gang: prosecutors". Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  33. ^ Markham, Devan (March 7, 2024). "University of Georgia murder suspect's brother charged in federal court". NewsNation. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  34. ^ Lonnroth, Lars (March 6, 2024). "Brother of suspected UGA killer accused of being gang member in new court filings". WMAZ-TV. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  35. ^ Zuzunaga Ruiz, Roger (March 10, 2024). "¿Quién es el presunto miembro del Tren de Aragua detenido en Georgia, Estados Unidos?" [Who is the alleged member of the Tren de Aragua detained in Georgia, United States?]. El Comercio (in Spanish). ISSN 1605-3052. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  36. ^ Edmonds, Colbi; Sassoon, Alessandro Marazzi (February 29, 2024). "For Suspect in U. of Georgia Killing, an Obscure Trail Across States". The New York Times.
  37. ^ Fuenmayor, Rafael (March 8, 2024). "Vinculan con la banda criminal Tren de Aragua al hermano del migrante detenido en Georgia por la muerte de una universitaria". Telemundo (in Spanish). Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  38. ^ Manins, Rosie (February 26, 2024). "Laken Riley case: Suspect had been arrested by federal, local authorities". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  39. ^ "Laken Riley murder suspect seen with multiple scratches day after killing: Officers". ABC News. November 18, 2024.
  40. ^ a b "DA not seeking death penalty for accused Laken Riley killer Jose Ibarra". FOX 5 Atlanta. May 31, 2024.
  41. ^ "Man accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley pleads not guilty in Georgia court". CBS News. May 31, 2024.
  42. ^ Hassan, Adeel; Sullivan, Eileen; Marazzi Sassoon, Alessandro (February 24, 2024). "Suspect in Killing at U. of Georgia Is Denied Bond as a Shaken Campus Mourns". The New York Times.
  43. ^ Thanawala, Sudhin (August 2, 2024). "Attorneys for man charged with killing Georgia nursing student ask judge to move trial". Associated Press.
  44. ^ "Laken Riley murder: Jose Ibarra trial set for November as judge rules on pretrial motions". Fox 5 Atlanta. October 29, 2024.
  45. ^ Kim, Juliana (November 15, 2024). "Murder trial begins for man accused of killing Georgia student Laken Riley". NPR.
  46. ^ Deliso, Meredith (November 20, 2024). "Laken Riley case: Suspect found guilty by judge in campus killing, sentenced to life". ABC News. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  47. ^ Marazzi Sassoon, Alessandro (March 1, 2024). "More Than a Thousand Mourners Pack Church to Honor Student Killed in Georgia". The New York Times.
  48. ^ Rayne, Robin (March 1, 2024). "Family and Friends Remember Laken Riley". Cherokee Tribune Ledger News.
  49. ^ Silva, Caroline (February 24, 2024). "UGA death: How to support Laken Riley's family". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  50. ^ "Laken Hope Riley Foundation to be establish in honor of Georgia nursing student". Fox 5 Atlanta. February 27, 2024.
  51. ^ British news sources:
  52. ^ Rojas, Rick (May 8, 2024). "Suspect in Laken Riley's Killing Indicted on Murder and Other Charges". The New York Times.
  53. ^ "Laken Riley's parents decline invite to State of the Union by Rep. Mike Collins". March 6, 2024.
  54. ^ Samuels, Brett (March 7, 2024). "Biden spars with Greene over immigration, Laken Riley during State of the Union". The Hill. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  55. ^ Collins, Michael (March 7, 2024). "Biden mentions Laken Riley in State of the Union, calls man accused of killing her an 'illegal'". USA Today. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  56. ^ Dorn, Sara (February 27, 2024). "What To Know About Laken Riley Murder: GOP Demands Details On Accused Killer's Immigration Status". Forbes. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  57. ^ "Donald Trump mentions murdered UGA student Laken Riley in RNC speech". FOX 5 Atlanta. July 19, 2024.
  58. ^ "'Say her name': How a nursing student's murder was made into a MAGA campaign cry". ABC News. November 22, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  59. ^ "Laken Riley followed the safety precautions for women runners but it wasn't enough". The Independent. November 25, 2024.
  60. ^ Mitchell, Tia (March 7, 2024). "US House passes Laken Riley Act requiring ICE to detain more immigrants". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
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