A grand jury has indicted Jose Ibarra, 26, for the murder of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley on the University of Georgia campus. Riley was found dead in a wooded area on Feb. 22 after she failed to return from a run.
The indictment includes charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, obstructing or hindering a person making an emergency telephone call, tampering with evidence, and a peeping tom offense. According to the indictment, Ibarra allegedly killed Riley by inflicting blunt force trauma to her head, asphyxiating her, and seriously disfiguring her head by striking her multiple times with a rock.
A spokesperson for the Western Circuit District Attorney's Office stated that Ibarra will be arraigned at a later date, and no further statements will be made on the case at this time.
Ibarra, originally from Venezuela, was arrested on Feb. 23 and initially charged with several offenses. He is currently being held at the Clarke County Jail without bond.
Authorities believe that Riley's murder was a "crime of opportunity," and they do not believe that Ibarra knew Riley. Her death has reignited discussions about immigration reform, as Ibarra unlawfully crossed into the United States in 2022. He was arrested in New York City the following year, but a detainer was not issued before his release.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp recently signed a bill into law that requires jailers in the state to check inmates' immigration status. Kemp cited Riley's death as a key reason for the legislation, emphasizing the need for such measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.