Killing of Laken Riley explained

Killing of Laken Riley
Location:Disappearance: University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, U.S.
Body found: Oconee Forest Park, Athens, Georgia, U.S.
Date:February 22, 2024
Map Size:250
Coordinates:33.9279°N -83.3728°W
Type:Homicide by blunt trauma
Victim:Laken Hope Riley
Accused:1
Motive:Unknown
Charges:

On February 22, 2024, Laken Riley, a 22-year-old American nursing student at Augusta University, was killed while she was jogging at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens, Georgia. Her body was found in Oconee Forest Park near Lake Herrick;[1] her death was caused by blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.[2] [3] [4]

The suspect, José Antonio Ibarra, is a 26-year-old Venezuelan who had entered the United States illegally.[5] He was arrested by UGA police and has been charged with 10 charges, including felony murder, malice murder, false imprisonment aggravated assault with intent to rape and kidnapping.[6] [7] He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.[8] The trial is expected to take place on November 18, 2024.[9]

Riley's death made international news, generating extensive media attention.[10] It sparked a debate over immigration in the United States after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed Ibarra is not a U.S. citizen and was caught crossing the border but was released into the United States. On March 7, 2024, the House of Representatives passed an immigration bill named the Laken Riley Act, requiring federal detention of migrants who commit burglary or theft.

Victim

Laken Hope Riley was a nursing student at Augusta University in Athens, Georgia, who had previously attended the University of Georgia as an undergraduate. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority.[11] She graduated in 2020 from River Ridge High School in Woodstock, Georgia, where she was a member of the cross-country team.[12] She had three siblings.

Killing

On the morning of February 22, 2024, Riley went for a morning run at UGA. Around 12:07 pm, a friend of Riley's reported her missing after she did not return.[13] Shortly before 1 p.m., her body was discovered by UGA police in Oconee Forest Park behind Lake Herrick.[14] Her death was caused by blunt force trauma and asphyxiation, according to Athens-Clarke County Coroner.[15]

Police described Riley's killing as a "crime of opportunity" and reported that the killer appeared to have acted alone.[16]

Suspect

The suspect is 26-year-old Venezuelan, José Antonio Ibarra, who had entered the United States illegally in September 2022, crossing the US's southern border with Mexico near El Paso, Texas. According to Jeffrey Clark, the chief of UGA police, he lived in an apartment complex about from the wooded area where Riley's body was found. He had been previously arrested by both federal and state officials in multiple jurisdictions. He had a bench warrant issued for his arrest in December 2023 after failing to appear in court in a shoplifting case in Georgia.[17]

In October 2023, the suspect and his brother, who was reported by authorities to be a member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua who temporarily worked at UGA,[18] [19] [20] [21] were arrested by Athens police on theft charges; both were released after reportedly possessing stolen merchandise from a local Walmart.[22] [23]

Authorities detained several people, but only the suspect was arrested. He was charged with 10 charges, including felony murder, malice murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping, aggravated assault with intent to rape, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another.[24]

The trial is expected to take place on November 18, 2024.

Reactions

Riley's killing became a "national political case" during what Forbes' Sara Dorn called a "historic surge in border crossings during Biden's tenure".[25] It was highly publicized by the national media and the press.

Riley's family says they plan to establish a foundation in her honor. Her stepfather said: "She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life moving forward in a very big way".[26] Riley's parents, Jason Riley and Allyson Phillips, were invited to the State of the Union by Georgia Congressman Mike Collins, but they turned down his invitation.[27]

President Joe Biden mentioned the killing of Riley during the 2024 State of the Union address,[28] after Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene shouted Riley's name at the president.[29] Biden was criticized by Democratic members of Congress for referring to Riley's suspected killer as "an illegal" instead of "undocumented",[30] [31] for which he later expressed regret.[32]

Laken Riley Act

On March 7, 2024, the House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act in a 251–170 vote, with 37 Democratic members joining all Republican members in voting for the bill. If enacted, the Laken Riley Act would mandate federal detention of migrants who commit burglary or theft and would allow states to file suit against the federal government for failing to enforce immigration laws.[33] [34]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Mayorquin . Orlando . Fadulu . Lola . Ortiz . Aimee . February 22, 2024 . Suspect Is Arrested in Killing of Woman on U. of Georgia Campus . March 9, 2024 . The New York Times.
  2. News: February 27, 2024 . Suspect in Georgia nursing student's murder is accused of "disfiguring her skull," court documents say . . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032111/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-nursing-student-laken-riley-murder-suspect-jose-ibarra-disfiguring-skull/ . live .
  3. News: Wolfe . Elizabeth . Razek . Raja . Yan . Holly . February 26, 2024 . Augusta University student killed while jogging at UGA honored at vigil as the suspect's immigration status fuels debate . . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032112/https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/25/us/uga-augusta-university-student-killing-monday/index.html . live .
  4. Web site: Deliso . Meredith . May 8, 2024 . Grand jury indicts Laken Riley murder suspect on 10 counts . ABC News.
  5. Web site: Groves . Stephen . 2024-03-07 . House Republicans push bill to detain migrants accused of theft after Georgia student killed . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240308065304/https://apnews.com/article/congress-laken-riley-immigration-ibarra-georgia-34b06b0829772900eb55c123fe151845 . March 8, 2024 . 2024-03-08 . AP News . en.
  6. Web site: Mascaro . Lisa . Groves . Stephen . 2024-03-08 . Biden says her name — Laken Riley — at the urging of GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene . 2024-06-14 . AP News . en.
  7. News: Fortin . Jacey . February 28, 2024 . The Killing at U. of Georgia: What We Know . . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032112/https://www.nytimes.com/article/uga-nursing-student-death.html . live.
  8. News: May 31, 2024 . Man accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley pleads not guilty in Georgia court . CBS News.
  9. News: Deliso . Meredith . August 2, 2024 . Murder trial for suspect accused of killing Laken Riley expected to begin Nov. 18 . ABC News.
  10. News: Bennett . Brian . February 28, 2024 . Biden Touts Crime Record as Laken Riley Case Dominates Conservative Media . . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032111/https://time.com/6836154/joe-biden-crime-laken-riley/ . live .
  11. News: Kersh . Lilly . Mawn . Allison . February 23, 2024 . Student found dead on UGA campus identified as 22-year-old Laken Riley . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032112/https://www.redandblack.com/uganews/student-found-dead-on-uga-campus-identified-as-22-year-old-laken-riley/article_1b939a88-d261-11ee-bd13-2b94e83381cc.html . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . The Red & Black.
  12. News: Cavallier . Andrea . February 23, 2024 . A nursing student went for a morning jog on campus and never returned. Her body was found shortly after lunch later that day . . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032112/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/university-georgia-jogging-woman-dead-b2501492.html . live .
  13. News: Acosta . Nicole . February 23, 2024 . Suspect Arrested After Ga. College Student Who Went on Jog Was Found Dead . . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032111/https://people.com/laken-hope-riley-case-georgia-student-found-dead-jog-arrest-8599499 . live .
  14. News: Manins . Rosie . February 29, 2024 . Laken Riley case: Man charged in UGA campus killing won't seek bond . . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032111/https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/laken-riley-case-man-charged-in-uga-campus-killing-wont-seek-bond/JIATNV635NHFFBURWSAQNDAYNE/ . live .
  15. News: Matza . Max . May 8, 2024 . Laken Riley: Venezuelan charged with murdering Georgia nurse . BBC News.
  16. News: Rissman . Kelly . February 29, 2024 . What we know about Jose Antonio Ibarra, the man charged with murdering a Georgia nursing student . . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032112/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/laken-riley-jose-ibarra-murder-georgia-b2502740.html . live .
  17. News: Manins . Rosie . February 26, 2024 . Laken Riley case: Suspect had been arrested by federal, local authorities . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240307223506/https://www.ajc.com/news/suspect-in-student-death-at-uga-cited-for-october-shoplifting-in-athens/KQNKOZMOLJBINHW4HQQXXZJ27Q/ . March 7, 2024 . March 7, 2024 . Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  18. Web site: Reyes . Ronny . 2024-03-07 . Brother of Laken Riley's suspected killer has ties to Venezuelan gang: prosecutors . 2024-06-14 . en-US.
  19. Web site: Markham . Devan . 2024-03-07 . University of Georgia murder suspect's brother charged in federal court . 2024-03-11 . . en-US.
  20. Web site: Lonnroth . Lars . 2024-03-06 . Brother of suspected UGA killer accused of being gang member in new court filings . 2024-03-11 . . en-US.
  21. News: Zuzunaga Ruiz . Roger . 2024-03-10 . ¿Quién es el presunto miembro del Tren de Aragua detenido en Georgia, Estados Unidos? . Who is the alleged member of the Tren de Aragua detained in Georgia, United States? . 2024-03-11 . . es-PE . 1605-3052.
  22. News: Edmonds . Colbi . Sassoon . Alessandro Marazzi . 29 February 2024 . For Suspect in U. of Georgia Killing, an Obscure Trail Across States . The New York Times.
  23. Web site: Fuenmayor . Rafael . 2024-03-08 . Vinculan con la banda criminal Tren de Aragua al hermano del migrante detenido en Georgia por la muerte de una universitaria . 2024-03-11 . . es.
  24. News: Lynch . Jamiel . Faheid . Dalia . February 29, 2024 . Suspect in University of Georgia killing didn't know victim and is not a student on the campus, police say . . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032111/https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/24/us/uga-augusta-university-student-death-saturday/index.html . live .
  25. News: Dorn . Sara . February 27, 2024 . What To Know About Laken Riley Murder: GOP Demands Details On Accused Killer's Immigration Status . . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032112/https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/02/26/what-to-know-about-the-laken-riley-murder-trump-and-gop-highlight-accused-killers-migrant-status/ . live .
  26. News: March 1, 2024 . Laken Riley: Funeral services for murdered nursing student . . March 2, 2024 . March 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302032112/https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/laken-riley-funeral-woodstock-city-church-uga-parents . live .
  27. Web site: March 6, 2024 . Laken Riley's parents decline invite to State of the Union by Rep. Mike Collins .
  28. Web site: Samuels . Brett . 2024-03-07 . Biden spars with Greene over immigration, Laken Riley during State of the Union . 2024-03-08 . The Hill . en-US . March 8, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240308040035/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4517923-biden-greene-immigration-laken-riley-state-of-the-union/ . live .
  29. Web site: Collins . Michael . 2024-03-07 . Biden mentions Laken Riley in State of the Union, calls man accused of killing her an 'illegal' . 2024-03-08 . USA Today . en-US.
  30. Web site: Woodward . Alex . 2024-03-08 . Biden faces 'beyond disappointed' Democrats after calling suspected killer 'an illegal' . The Independent.
  31. Web site: Schneider . Elena . 2024-03-08 . Biden campaign launches $30M ad onslaught . Politico.
  32. Web site: Marquez . Alexandra . March 9, 2024 . Biden says he regrets referring to 'an illegal' and defends direct criticism of Supreme Court in State of the Union . NBC News.
  33. News: Mitchell . Tia . March 7, 2024 . US House passes Laken Riley Act requiring ICE to detain more immigrants . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240307223300/https://www.ajc.com/politics/us-house-passes-laken-riley-act-requiring-ice-to-detain-more-immigrants/DPFJRNVHUVF6XLXWRT454TOHTY/ . March 7, 2024 . March 7, 2024 . Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  34. News: Talbot . Haley . March 7, 2024 . House passes Laken Riley Act . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240307223259/https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/07/politics/house-passes-laken-riley-act/index.html . March 7, 2024 . March 7, 2024 . CNN.

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