Jose Antonio Ibarra biography: 15 things about Venezuelan man accused of killing Laken Riley

Who is José Antonio Ibarra?

Jose Antonio Ibarra is a citizen of Venezuela. He was four years older than Laken Hope Riley of Woodstock, Cherokee County, Georgia, United States and three years older than his wife Layling Franco.

In September 2023, Ibarra and Franco crossed the border into the U.S. For a time, they lived in New York City, New York, USA where he worked for various food delivery app companies.

Ibarra, who is not a U.S. citizen, lived in Athens, Clarke County, Georgia. Here are 15 more things about him:

1. His brother Diego Ibarra was born in 1995.
2. He was born in 1998.
3. On September 8, 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials encountered arrested him after he crossed the U.S.’s southern border with Mexico near El Paso, Texas, USA.
4. He was released from the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) pending adjudication of his claim for asylum on April 30, 2023.
5. On September 14, 2023, the New York Police Department arrested him and charged him acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation. He was caught driving a scooter without a license and had a child with him who did not have a helmet on and the NYPD released him before a detainer could be issued.
6. On September 25, 2023, Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) officers arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without a license.
7. On October 27, 2023, ACCPD officers arrested him for theft by shoplifting.
8. In November 2023, he and Franco split and he moved to Georgia to live with Diego.
9. On December 25, 2023, ACCPD officers arrested him for failure to appear for a fingerprintable offense.
10. He is accused of killing Riley, who went missing after she went jogging at the intramural fields of the University of Georgia in Athens on February 22, 2024.
11. On February 23, 2024, he was arrested for Riley’s murder and booked into the Clarke County Jail in Athens and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was made aware of his undocumented presence in the U.S.
12. On February 24, 2024, he was was denied bond.
13. On May 7, 2024, a grand jury indicted him with malice murder and felony murder in connection with Riley’s death.
14. On November 15, 2024, his bench trial began in Athens.
15. On November 20, 2024, he was found guilty of being a peeping Tom, kidnapping with bodily injury, obstructing an emergency call, evidence tampering, malice murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault with intent to rape and three counts of felony murder.