Illegal Immigrant Accused of Murdering Georgia Nursing Student Laken Riley Officially Charged
In the case of the tragic death of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, the Venezuelan national suspected of her murder has been formally charged.
Jose Antonio Ibarra was indicted by a grand jury for two counts of malice murder, two counts of aggravated assault with intent to rape, two counts of kidnapping with bodily injury, two counts of aggravated battery, tampering with evidence, obstructing or hindering a person from making a 911 call, and peeping, according to a report by Fox News.
The grand jury indicted Ibarra following the discovery of Riley’s body last February. Riley was found deceased after going for a run along trails near the University of Georgia-Athens campus.
The indictment alleges that Ibarra murdered Riley through blunt-force trauma to the head. Additionally, he stands accused of spying on a staff member at a university apartment building on the same day as Riley’s alleged murder.
Details from the indictment state that Ibarra allegedly “seriously disfigured [Riley’s] head by striking her head multiple times with a rock” and asphyxiated Riley “in a manner unknown to jurors.”
“Ibarra will be arraigned on a date to be set by the court,” said a spokesperson for the Western Circuit District Attorney’s Office, who is prosecuting the case. “At this time, we will make no further statements on this case.”
Ibarra reportedly entered the US illegally in September of 2022. After being apprehended by Border Security near El Paso, agents released Ibarra into the country. The Department of Homeland Security cited “detention capacity” constraints for his release.
Ibarra was also arrested in New York City for multiple offenses but was released before Riley’s death.
Police explained that they do not believe Ibarra had any connection to Riley and described the murder as a “crime of opportunity.”
