Athens, Georgia – A grand jury in Athens, Georgia, indicted Jose Ibarra on Tuesday for the murder of Augusta University student Laken Riley. Ibarra, a 26-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela, faces 10 counts including malice murder, kidnapping, assault, and obstructing a 911 call. Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was killed while out for a run on the University of Georgia campus on February 22.
The indictment alleges that Ibarra caused Riley’s death by inflicting blunt-force trauma to her head and asphyxiating her. Additionally, he is accused of peeping on a university staff member on the same day as Riley’s murder. UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark described the crime as a “crime of opportunity.”
Ibarra lived in an apartment near where Riley was running, making it a short walk from his residence to where her body was found. The University of Georgia stated that they have invested $16 million in safety measures over the past eight years, including hiring more police officers and installing security cameras.
Jose Ibarra crossed into the United States illegally from El Paso, Texas, in 2022 and was released on parole. He lived with his brothers, Diego and Argenis Ibarra, in the same apartment complex. Diego is facing charges of green card fraud and has ties to a Venezuelan gang in the U.S.
The tragic murder of Laken Riley has sparked shock and calls for increased campus security measures. UGA has pledged to continue evaluating safety measures and enhancing security on campus. The investigation into Riley’s murder and the involvement of the Ibarra brothers continues as the community mourns the loss of a promising young student.