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Murder of Laken Riley
| Murder of Laken Riley | |
|---|---|
 Undated photo of Laken Riley | |
| Location | University of Georgia—Oconee Forest Park, Athens, Georgia, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 33°55′40″N 83°22′22″W / 33.9279°N 83.3728°W |
| Date | February 22, 2024 c. 9 a.m. – 9:32 a.m. (EST) |
Attack type | Murder by blunt trauma and asphyxiation, kidnapping, beating, crime of opportunity |
| Victim | Laken Riley |
| Perpetrator | José Antonio Ibarra |
| Verdict | Guilty on all counts[1] |
| Convictions |
|
| Sentence | Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole[3] |
On February 22, 2024, Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student,[4] was murdered while she was jogging at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens, Georgia.[5] Her body was found in Oconee Forest Park near Lake Herrick;[6] her death was caused by blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.[4][7]
The perpetrator, José Antonio Ibarra, is a 26-year-old Venezuelan man who had entered the United States illegally.[8] He was arrested by UGA police and was charged with 10 counts, including felony murder, malice murder, false imprisonment, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and kidnapping.[9][10][7] Ibarra was found guilty on all charges on November 20, 2024, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.[11]
Riley's death made international news, generating extensive media attention.[12] It sparked a debate over illegal 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.[5][13] On March 7, 2024, the House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act, a bill that would require federal detention of illegal immigrants arrested for burglary or theft. It faced opposition in the then Democratic-controlled Senate and failed to come to a vote. The bill again passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support on January 7, 2025 and an amended version passed the Senate on January 20 as part of the 119th Congress.[14][15][16][17] It became the first bill signed into law by President Donald Trump in his second term.[18]
- ^ Brumback, Kate (November 20, 2024). "Man convicted of murder in killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley" (News article). AP. Athens, Georgia: Associated Press. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
- ^ Sayers, Devon; Levenson, Eric (May 31, 2024). "Man accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley indicted on murder and 'peeping Tom' charges". CNN.
- ^ Deliso, Meredith (November 20, 2024). "Laken Riley case: Suspect found guilty by judge in campus killing, sentenced to life" (News article). ABC News. ABC News. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
- ^ a b "Suspect in Georgia nursing student's murder is accused of "disfiguring her skull," court documents say". CBS News. February 27, 2024. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ a b 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". CNN. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Mayorquin, Orlando; Fadulu, Lola; Ortiz, Aimee (February 22, 2024). "Suspect Is Arrested in Killing of Woman on U. of Georgia Campus". The New York Times. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Deliso, Meredith (May 8, 2024). "Grand jury indicts Laken Riley murder suspect on 10 counts". ABC News.
- ^ Groves, Stephen (March 7, 2024). "House Republicans push bill to detain migrants accused of theft after Georgia student killed". AP News. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ Mascaro, Lisa; Groves, Stephen (March 8, 2024). "Biden says her name — Laken Riley — at the urging of GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene". AP News. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Fortin, Jacey (February 28, 2024). "The Killing at U. of Georgia: What We Know". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:15was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Bennett, Brian (February 28, 2024). "Biden Touts Crime Record as Laken Riley Case Dominates Conservative Media". Time. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Sacchetti, Maria; Miroff, Nick (February 26, 2024). "Slaying of Georgia student becomes part of U.S. immigration debate". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
hilljan7was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:16was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
CNNMar7was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Senatepasswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Trump signs the Laken Riley Act into law". NBC. January 29, 2025.
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