Authorities are investigating the tragic death of Lakin Riley, a junior at Augusta University College of Nursing, who was found deceased near a lake after failing to return home from a jog. The suspect, Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan national residing in Athens, Georgia, faces multiple charges including malice murder, felony murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and concealing the death of another.
The estranged wife of the suspect, Lailin Franco, revealed that she had been separated from Ibarra for months and was shocked by his arrest. Franco emphasized that during their time together, Ibarra treated her well and appeared to be a calm individual. She expressed a desire to hear directly from him regarding the events leading to his arrest and extended her support for justice for the victim, Lakin Riley.
Republican leaders, including Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia, have criticized the Biden administration's immigration policies in light of Ibarra's immigration status. Ibarra had been arrested in 2022 for illegally crossing into the U.S. near El Paso and was subsequently paroled and released for further processing by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Campus police chief Jeff Clark described Riley's death as a crime of opportunity, indicating that there is no evidence of prior acquaintance between the victim and the suspect. Riley's funeral is scheduled for Friday, while classes at the University of Georgia are set to resume on Monday.
