New media reports say that the man charged with the murder of a 22-year-old nursing student in Georgia was in the United States illegally.
Laken Riley was found dead Thursday not far from her University of Georgia campus apartment after her friends began a search for her because she had not returned from jogging.
According to Fox News, Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, is an illegal immigrant from Venezuela.
Ibarra faces charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another in connection with Riley’s death.
NEW: Per three ICE & DHS sources to me & @GriffJenkins, Jose Antonio Ibarra, the suspect charged in the murder of nursing student Laken Riley, is a Venezuelan national who crossed illegally into El Paso, TX in September 2022 & was released into the U.S. via parole.
We reached… pic.twitter.com/A5Ytc7tAzl— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) February 24, 2024
Sources at the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement that Fox News did not name said Ibarra crossed into El Paso, Texas, illegally in September 2022.
Fox said its sources told the network Ibarra was released into the country on parole.
A report from NewsNation that also cited sources it did not name said Ibarra was freed because of a lack of detention space.
Officials have said the suspect did not know the victim prior to the victim’s death.
University of Georgia Nursing student, Laken Riley (22) went for a run near the Campus Intramural Fields yesterday.
An ILLEGAL from Venezuela, Jose Antonio Ibarra (26) was arrested tonight, charged with her Murder.
This monster crossed through El Paso in September of 2022.… pic.twitter.com/lPqClphPr6
— 🇺🇸ProudArmyBrat (@leslibless) February 24, 2024
NBC has reported that more than 182,700 illegal immigrants were encountered along the southern border in September 2022.
According to the New York Post, Ibarra’s older brother, Diego Ibarra, 29, has been charged with being in possession of a phony green card.
🚨 The big brother of the illegal (Jose Ibarra) that took the life of Laken Riley has now been arrested!
Another ILLEGAL, Diego Ibarra, 29, was stopped by police, in connection with Lakens mur*der, and was found with a fake Green Card, along w outstanding criminal warrants.… pic.twitter.com/aWL5uEjOqs
— 🇺🇸ProudArmyBrat (@leslibless) February 24, 2024
Police had interviewed Diego Ibarra in connection with Riley’s murder when they learned about the phony document according to the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
“Diego Ibarra presented a fake green card to the hiring unit to begin a temporary position as a dishwasher in Bolton Dining Hall at the University of Georgia on Feb. 6, 2024,” University of Georgia representative Greg Trevor said.
Does the border need to be closed?
“He subsequently failed to submit further documentation required to keep the job and was never paid by the University. He has been fired,” Trevor said.
Diego Ibarra is now in jail.
