The suspect in the killing of University of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley used an object as a weapon and is accused of “disfiguring her skull,” according to arrest affidavits. Jose Ibarra faces multiple charges, including murder and assault, and is accused of dragging Riley to a secluded area on campus.
Authorities have not disclosed how Riley was killed, only that it was caused by blunt force trauma. Details about the weapon used or the exact circumstances of her death were not included in the affidavits.
The crimes were allegedly committed between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Thursday, and Ibarra, a Venezuelan citizen who entered the U.S. unlawfully in 2022, is being held in custody.
Georgia Nursing Student (Credits: Daily Truth Report)
Riley, 22, was a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus and was found dead after a roommate reported she had not returned from a morning run near the University of Georgia’s intramural fields.
A vigil for Riley was held on Monday, where her sorority sisters and others remembered her as a bright light. Former President Donald Trump and Gov. Brian Kemp have used the case to criticize President Biden’s immigration policies, highlighting Ibarra’s status as an unlawful entrant.
Ibarra’s immigration history includes a previous detainment by Border Patrol in September 2022 after entering from Mexico near El Paso, Texas. He was also arrested by New York police in August 2022, but New York officials have no record of the arrest.
Athens-Clarke County District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez has appointed a special prosecutor, attorney Sheila Ross, to handle the case. The White House expressed condolences to Riley’s family and referred questions to ICE and local law enforcement.
