Man arrested for brutal murder of Georgia nursing student, Laken Hope Riley, is reportedly a non-citizen from Venezuela

A suspect was arrested on Friday in connection with the brutal murder of a Georgia nursing student.

The University of Georgia Police Department arrested 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra on Friday in connection to the murder of 22-year-old Laken Hope Riley.

University Police Chief Jeff Clark said Ibarra is not a U.S. citizen and did not attend the university.

"According to multiple DHS sources, he is here illegally from Venezuela. Sources confirm he crossed in September of 2022 into El Paso, Texas, and was released due to lack of detention space," NewsNation reported.

Ibarra is being held on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another, according to WSB-TV.

Police believe that Ibarra did not know Riley, and said the murder of the nursing student at Augusta University was a "crime of opportunity."

“He saw an individual and bad things happened,” University of Georgia Police Chief Jeff Clark said at a news conference on Friday. "This was an individual who woke up with bad intentions that day."

Police do not know of a motive as of yet.

Riley's maimed body was found around 12:38 p.m. on Thursday in a wooded area behind Lake Herrick at the University of Georgia campus in Athens. Police said she was "unconscious and not breathing, and had visible injuries." First responders pronounced her dead at the crime scene.

She reportedly went jogging on the UGA campus, and was reported missing by a friend at 12:07 p.m. on Thursday.

Riley's cause of death was from blunt force trauma, according to police.

Riley was a student at UGA until last spring, when she transferred to the nearby Augusta University.

She was a junior and a dean's list student, according to the school.

Classes at the UGA Athens campus and the Augusta University College of Nursing campus at Athens were canceled on Friday.

The UGA Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Athens-Clarke County Police Department launched an investigation into the grisly murder.

Ibarra's brother, Diego Ibarra, was arrested during the investigation for allegedly presenting fake green cards after law enforcement confronted him.

ABC News reported, "Diego Ibarra has been charged by federal complaint with possessing a fake green card and is in state custody."

Riley's younger sister, Lauren, shared a heart-wrenching tribute to her "built-in best friend."

"The best sister and my built-in best friend from the very first second," the distraught sister wrote on Instagram. "This isn’t fair and I will never understand it but I know you are in heaven with the man you loved most right now. I’m not sure how I’m going to do this but it’s all going to be for you from now on. I cannot wait to give you the biggest hug someday. I will miss and love you forever Laken."

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who is a UGA alum, said he and his family were "truly shaken and heartbroken to learn of Laken Riley’s tragic death."

The UGA Police Department is asking anyone with information to call 706-542-2200.

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