Laken Riley, 22, was a nursing student at Augusta University's College of Nursing's Athens campus. She grew up in Woodstock, Georgia, and graduated from River Ridge High School in 2020, where she excelled in cross country and track. After her untimely death, Cherokee County school Superintendent Brian Hightower described Laken as "a shining light" and an "outstanding scholar-athlete" who inspired her peers and teachers with her kindness and love for learning. Laken was an active member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority at the University of Georgia and was passionate about running, completing the AthHalf Half Marathon in October 2023. In the fall of 2023, she made the dean's list at Augusta University after transferring from UGA, where she studied until spring 2023.
In an interview with TODAY, Riley's father described her as an 'angel', highlighting her dreams of working with children. 'She was so full of life. I just hate that she was taken so early.' When asked whether he thought a difference in immigration policy would have made a difference regarding his daughter's death, Riley's father said he did not know.
Details Revealed By the Autopsy And Incident Report
Riley's two roommates reported her missing when she failed to return from a run at the Intramural Fields. Lilly Steiner, one of Riley's roommates, testified that she used the Find My feature on Riley's iPhone to track her. When Riley's whereabouts hadn't changed by 10:45 a.m., Steiner and another roommate started searching for her. After finding only one of her AirPods and no other sign of Riley, her roommates called UGA police around midday to report her missing.
Riley's body was found in a wooded area of the field on February 22 at midday by Officer Maxwell Kenneth from the University of George Police. Kenneth's incident report reads as follows: 'She was lying on the ground and appeared to be unconscious. I called out to Riley and I did not get a response. I approached her and began to check her vitals. I could see that Riley had visible injuries at this point. I could not locate a pulse, and I did not see any obvious signs that she was breathing, so I began CPR.' Kenneth reports that Emergency Services took over further lifesaving efforts at 12:50 p.m., and the UGA Police Criminal Investigations Division arrived at 12:57 p.m.
In his report, Kenneth also notes that based on Riley's condition, he suspects foul play. He describes the incident as a malice murder, a felony murder and a murder in the second degree. Riley's cause of death was blunt trauma to the head and asphyxia. The autopsy report shows that she suffered a fracture to her skull and was deprived of oxygen during the attack.
The Arrest And Charges of Jose Antonio Ibarra
In the hours following Riley's murder, Athens homicide detectives identified a potential suspect through surveillance footage showing a distinctive Adidas hat. This led them to search an off-campus apartment complex, where they arrested the individual, who lived with his brother.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old undocumented Venezuelan migrant, faces a total of ten charges, including malice murder, three counts of felony murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, and aggravated battery with intent to rape. The autopsy has helped support the aggravated battery charge, the filing claiming Ibarra used an object to harm Riley before dragging her to a secluded area. Additional charges include obstructing an emergency call, tampering with evidence, and 'peeping Tom'. The indictment claims that the day Riley was killed, Ibarra looked through the window of an apartment in a university housing complex. According to prosecutors, Ibarra was 'haunting for females.,' which is what the 'peeping' Tom charge is based on.
Ibarra has chosen to waive his right to a jury trial, opting instead for a bench trial presided over by Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard.
Physical Evidence Against Ibarra
During the second day of the trial against Ibarra Sgt. Joshua Epps described encountering Ibarra on February 23, the day after the incident. He noted multiple injuries on him, including scratches on Ibarra's right bicep and left forearm that he believed resembled fingernail marks. Additionally, Epps mentioned a puncture wound on Ibarra's left wrist that appeared fresh, comparing it to injuries he had seen in sports. According to Prosecutor Sheila Ross, Ibarra's DNI was discovered beneath Riley's fingernails.
Crime scene specialist Daniella Stuart identified injuries on the side of Riley's head and linear marks on her torso and below her underwear. Maxwell testified that when he found Riley 50 feet away from the trail she had been jogging on, her shirt had been pulled up. Maxwell emphasised that it looked like someone had tried to remove her shirt or tried to drag her with it. Ross believes that Ibarra intended to rape Riley, and when she resisted, he bashed her on the left side of the head with a rock.
Authorities also located a jacket in a dumpster close to Ibarra's residence, which contained both Ibarra's and Riley's blood. Furthermore, black gloves found near Ibarra's home also tested positive for Riley's blood. On Friday, the prosecution showed the court video evidence, which they claim showed Ibarra disposing of evidence in that dumpster fifteen minutes after Riley's death.
Riley's 9-1-1 Call Moments Before Her Death
Riley's 9-1-1 call, which she prompted through her cellphone at 9:11 a.m., was played for the courtroom on Friday, leaving Riley's mother in unconsolable tears, a stark contrast to Ibarra's unflinching demeanour. In the call, only a male voice is heard briefly, his voice unintelligible. Ibarra's thumbprint was also found on her iPhone, which Ross suggested he and Riley must have fought over during the assault.
Riley's smartwatch collected crucial data about the attack. FBI analysis revealed that around 9:10 a.m., she abruptly stopped jogging and activated her phone's SOS function to call 9-1-1. In the court, it was noted that she was with the defendant for about four minutes, after which her smartwatch recorded a movement of 65 feet into the woods, suggesting a significant event occurred during that time. Prosecutor Ross stated that Riley's struggle with her attacker was prolonged and intense. Her smartwatch recorded no movement after her heart stopped at 9:28 a.m.
Ibarra's Trial: Speculation And Next Steps
Before Ibarra's trial, his attorneys attempted to prevent the admission of his cell phone, along with DNA and fingerprint evidence. Judge H. Patrick Haggard declined their request. It is speculated that this action may have been intended to conceal Riley's murder, along with a potential child molestation case involving Ibarra.
The trial for Riley's murder began on Friday, with Monday marking its second day. Ibarra's defence team argues that the evidence presented against him is circumstantial. Defence attorney Dustin Kirby noted that the links connecting Ibarra to the alleged crime are insufficient. He emphasised that there isn't enough evidence to prove Ibarra's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Ibarra has pleaded not guilty. If found guilty of the most severe charges, prosecutors plan to pursue a life sentence without parole.
Ibarra's Arrest Incites Discussion About Immigration Amidst Trump Re-election
Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official Tom Homan, who will serve as President-elect Donald Trump's "Border Czar," accused the Biden administration of having "blood on their hands". He claims the administration is responsible for Riley's murder because Ibarra was previously released on parole 'for further processing ' after his illegal status was discovered. Homan argued that under Trump, such individuals would not have been released. Homan called for sanctuary cities to assist the ICE, suggesting that failure to cooperate could lead to increased federal enforcement in those areas.
Further criticism arose after it was found that Ibarra's brother, Diego Ibarra, is being held on immigration violations and is suspected to be a member of Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal organisation with over 5,000 members. Originating in Venezuela's Torocón prison, the gang is spread around South America and, most recently, the U.S. In New York, the local police have reported that its members have become brazen, correctly assuming they will be freed within a day due to the area's lax laws. Ibarra and his brother reportedly spent some time in New York after illegally entering the U.S. in 2022, further supporting the accusations against the latter. Homan has vowed to dismantle Tren de Aragua, asserting that local cooperation is needed to combat gang violence.
