Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, is a resident of Athens, Clarke County, Georgia, United States. He is not a U.S. citizen.
Investigators believe Ibarra is from Venezuela. He is accused of murdering Laken Hope Riley of Woodstock, Cherokee County, Georgia.
In 2020, Riley graduated from River Ridge High School in Woodstock. She attended the University of Georgia in Athens before entering the Augusta University College of Nursing‘s campus in Athens.
In 2023, Riley made it to the dean’s list at the Augusta University College of Nursing. On the morning of February 22, 2024, she went jogging at the intramural fields of the University of Georgia.
At around 12:07 p.m., Riley was reported missing by her roommate. At 12:38 p.m., investigators found Riley dead in a wooded area behind Lake Herrick near the University of Georgia.
Riley died from blunt force trauma. She was 22.
Through technology, security camera network and witnesses, the University of Georgia Police Department identified Ibarra as the suspect. The department is still determining the motive behind the murder.
On February 23, 2024, Ibarra was arrested for Riley’s murder. He will be charged with felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, concealing the death of another and hindering a 911 call.
Ibarra is not a student at the University of Georgia. Whether or not he and Riley knew each other is unclear.
CONAN Daily 