AUGUSTA, GA - A Georgia nursing student was found dead on a trail on campus last Thursday, and the man charged in her murder is a migrant who entered the US illegally in 2022.
Laken Riley went for a run Thursday morning and a friend became worried when she did not return. Her body was found by university police officers on a trail near Lake Herrick with “visible injuries.” Despite medical aid being rendered by the officers, she was pronounced dead at the scene. University of Georgia Police Department Chief Jeffrey Clark said she died of blunt force trauma.
In a statement on Friday, the Augusta University College of nursing said, “This sudden loss of one of our students is truly heartbreaking.”
On Friday, police arrested 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra in connection with the murder of Laken Riley.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a statement on Sunday saying that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) arrested Ibarra on September 8, 2022 “after unlawfully entering the United States near El Paso, Texas.” ICE also said, “he was paroled and released for further processing.”
The statement from ICE continued, “On Sept. 14, 2023, [Jose] Ibarra was arrested by the New York Police Department and charged with acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation. He was released by the NYPD before a detainer could be issued. On Feb. 23, 2024, ERO [Enforcement and Removal Operations] Atlanta encountered Ibarra pursuant to his arrest by the University of Georgia Police Department and being charged with murder and other crimes. ERO Atlanta lodged a detainer.”
NewsNation reports that “Ibarra was bused from El Paso to New York.”
Ibarra’s brother, Diego Ibarra, is also being held by police. The US Attorney for Middle Georgia’s office explained that Diego Ibarra was approached by police in connection with Riley’s murder when he produced a fraudulent green card.
After crossing the border illegally in El Paso, Texas in April of 2023, Diego Ibarra was initially processed for immediate removal. However, after claiming reasonable fear of returning to Venezuela, he was released to New York City pending asylum. He is now in custody in Georgia facing a maximum of 10 years.
Jose Ibarra is being held in the Athens-Clarke County Jail on charges of felony murder, aggravated battery, malice murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, obstructing an emergency call, concealing the death of another, and kidnapping. During his initial court appearance on Saturday, Ibarra was denied bond.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, took to X with a letter to President Joe Biden. The fiery letter said in part, “As I have stated many times in the past, your actions and those of your administration have resulted in every state in the country experiencing the disastrous impacts of an unsecured U.S. southern border..”
Governor Kemp also said that this murder is the "latest proof" that "every state is a border state."
Laken Riley was a 2020 graduate of River Ridge High School in Woodstock, Georgia. She ran cross-country on the school’s team for four years. River Ridge High School cross-country coach, Keith Hooper, spoke with ABC News saying, “Her passion for health care science and running are to be admired. She will always accompany us as we run.”
Laken Riley went for a run Thursday morning and a friend became worried when she did not return. Her body was found by university police officers on a trail near Lake Herrick with “visible injuries.” Despite medical aid being rendered by the officers, she was pronounced dead at the scene. University of Georgia Police Department Chief Jeffrey Clark said she died of blunt force trauma.
In a statement on Friday, the Augusta University College of nursing said, “This sudden loss of one of our students is truly heartbreaking.”
On Friday, police arrested 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra in connection with the murder of Laken Riley.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a statement on Sunday saying that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) arrested Ibarra on September 8, 2022 “after unlawfully entering the United States near El Paso, Texas.” ICE also said, “he was paroled and released for further processing.”
The statement from ICE continued, “On Sept. 14, 2023, [Jose] Ibarra was arrested by the New York Police Department and charged with acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation. He was released by the NYPD before a detainer could be issued. On Feb. 23, 2024, ERO [Enforcement and Removal Operations] Atlanta encountered Ibarra pursuant to his arrest by the University of Georgia Police Department and being charged with murder and other crimes. ERO Atlanta lodged a detainer.”
NewsNation reports that “Ibarra was bused from El Paso to New York.”
Ibarra’s brother, Diego Ibarra, is also being held by police. The US Attorney for Middle Georgia’s office explained that Diego Ibarra was approached by police in connection with Riley’s murder when he produced a fraudulent green card.
After crossing the border illegally in El Paso, Texas in April of 2023, Diego Ibarra was initially processed for immediate removal. However, after claiming reasonable fear of returning to Venezuela, he was released to New York City pending asylum. He is now in custody in Georgia facing a maximum of 10 years.
Jose Ibarra is being held in the Athens-Clarke County Jail on charges of felony murder, aggravated battery, malice murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, obstructing an emergency call, concealing the death of another, and kidnapping. During his initial court appearance on Saturday, Ibarra was denied bond.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, took to X with a letter to President Joe Biden. The fiery letter said in part, “As I have stated many times in the past, your actions and those of your administration have resulted in every state in the country experiencing the disastrous impacts of an unsecured U.S. southern border..”
Governor Kemp also said that this murder is the "latest proof" that "every state is a border state."
Laken Riley was a 2020 graduate of River Ridge High School in Woodstock, Georgia. She ran cross-country on the school’s team for four years. River Ridge High School cross-country coach, Keith Hooper, spoke with ABC News saying, “Her passion for health care science and running are to be admired. She will always accompany us as we run.”
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The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments
2024-02-28T07:18-0700 | Comment by: Fran
Gov. Kemp's letter seems much nicer than what mine would be. Ten years seems to me to be a very soft sentence for his crime. If Jose Ibarra is here illegally, he should be sent back to his country of origin post haste. Why should the burden of his expense for the next ten years fall on the taxpayers? Biden and his administration should be held accountable for ignoring the laws of this country. We need to close the border and clean house.
2024-02-28T09:56-0700 | Comment by: Eleanor
IMHO, I think these young men are being sent here to commit as many crimes as they can. They should bedeported immediately - except when they commit murder. Murder should bring a mandatory death penalty within 7 days!!
2024-03-01T13:08-0700 | Comment by: Laurence
Her family should sue Biden for enabling this situation.