Laken Riley Death: Georgia Grand Jury Indicts Alleged Killer of Nursing Student on Multiple Charges

Laken Riley death Georgia Grand Jury Indicted the Suspect Jose Antonio Ibarra Multiple Charges

By Jackelyn Cornejo , Parent Herald May 09, 07:18 am

Photo: (Photo : NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV/AFP via Getty Images )

A Georgia grand jury has accused Jose Antonio Ibarra, the man indicted of the killing of 22-year-old student Laken Riley, on numerous liabilities, including malice murder and kidnapping.

Laken Riley's Killer Faces Murder Charges, Kidnapping

The indictment, filed on Tuesday in Clarke County Superior Court, officially accuses Ibarra of Riley's killing, defined by authorities as a crime of opportunity.

Among the liability are three counts of felony murder, malice murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and "peeping tom." The public defender's office representing Ibarra refused to comment when contacted on Wednesday.

Riley, a nursing student at the Augusta University College of Nursing's Athens campus, was found dead with apparent wounds in a forested area behind Lake Herrick at the University of Georgia campus after going for a jog on February 22. Police declared that the cause of the demise was blunt force trauma.

University Police Chief Jeff Clark indicated that there was no apparent prior acquaintance between Ibarra and Riley, suggesting the crime was opportunistic.

Ibarra, a Venezuelan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally near El Paso, Texas in 2022, was living in an apartment near the University of Georgia and had failed to arrive in court for a former shoplifting charge.

Investigators determine Ibarra as a suspect through a security camera photo showing him wearing a unique Adidas hat. Riley's father, Jason Riley, conveyed concern that his daughter's killing was being politicized due to Ibarra's immigration status, diverting attention from who his daughter truly was.

Despite this, he recognized that her demise had spurred controversy on border security and the protection of women, hoping it could be approached without political agendas.

Murder of Nursing Student

Laken Hope Riley, a former student at the University of Georgia (UGA) who was enrolled as a junior at the Augusta University College of Nursing, went missing on February 22.

Her roommate reported her disappearance when she did not return by noon. Riley was found unconscious, not breathing, and with visible injuries by school police officers. Her body was discovered behind Lake Herrick, near various sports fields, tennis courts, and walking trails. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.

Defined as a wise and attentive friend, Riley was remembered fondly by Chloe Mullis, the chapter president of her sorority, at a vigil held on UGA's campus.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan citizen who arrived in the U.S. in 2022, had experiences with law enforcement, including a vehicle license offense and child endangerment accuse in New York in August 2023. Despite being accused, New York police discharged him before U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could issue a detainer.

Laken Riley Act Proposal

The Laken Riley Act, sponsored and introduced by Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia's 10th congressional district, aims to require the Department of Homeland Security to detain certain non-U.S. nationals who have been arrested for specific offenses, such as burglary or shoplifting.

It also grants states the authority to sue the federal government for decisions or perceived failures related to immigration enforcement. The bill has progressed to the Senate legislative calendar after being read for the second time on March 11.