Police arrested a non-U.S. citizen male in the murder of 22-year-old University of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, and sources inside the Department of Homeland Security say the illegal immigrant was known by law enforcement, according to reports.
During a Friday evening press conference, the local police chief said that 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra has been charged with “malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another.”
“He lives here in Athens, but is not a U.S. citizen,” Clark stated, adding that a search warrant has been executed for Ibarra’s apartment, and that evidence was still being collected.
NewsNation correspondent Ali Bradley reported on Friday night that that “multiple DHS sources” say that Ibarra is in the United States illegally from Venezuela, and further that he was arrested late last year in New York City but released back into the country.
“CBP documents show he crossed in September of 2022 into El Paso, Texas[,] and was released due to lack of detention space,” Bradley reported. “The 26 year old from Venezuela was arrested today by ICE-ERO Atlanta.”
“DHS sources confirm that Jose Antonio Ibarra was arrested 5 months ago in New York,” Bradley added in a subsequent X post. “Records show he was arrested on 9/14/23 in Queens, NY for injury to child less than 17 and no license.”
Fox5 reported that Riley’s body was discovered in the woods “behind Lake Herrick, after she failed to return from a run along a path near the Intramural Fields.” The news report also noted that the apparent cause of death was blunt for trauma.
Ibarra was identified as a suspect in part due to campus security cameras, witness testimony, and other investigative techniques.
The police chief stated that Laken’s murder appeared to be a “crime of opportunity” rather than something premeditated. He said the police were not able to confirm that Ibarra was an illegal immigrant.
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