Diego Ibarra: Brother of illegal immigrant accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley taken into custody

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: The brother of an illegal immigrant, who is the main suspect in the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, has been arrested for possessing a fake Green Card, reports Fox News.

Diego Ibarra, 29, was slapped with charges after he was stopped by police in connection with the ongoing murder investigation, according to the US Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. He is now in state custody, per jail records. 

Diego’s younger brother, Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26 is also being held on multiple charges, including malice murder, related to Riley’s death. The brothers are from Venezuela, officials said.

When were authorities informed about Diego Ibarra 's illegal immigrant status?

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) became aware of Diego Ibarra’s undocumented status when an Athens-Clarke County police officer approached him, the sworn affidavit revealed. At the time, local authorities believed that he matched the description of the suspect sought for Riley’s killing.

Diego Ibarra gave the officer a green card, which was then determined to be fraudulent, the document explained. Further investigation revealed that he was met by the US Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas, on April 30, 2023. 

He was processed for immediate deportation, but was released to New York City pending asylum after he claimed reasonable fear of returning to his home country, the affidavit explained.

Several months later, in late September, he was arrested by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department for driving under the influence and driving without a license.

Diego Ibarra was again arrested two more times

Diego Ibarra was subsequently arrested in the popular college area two more times, once in October for shoplifting, and once in December for failing to appear for a fingerprintable offense, according to the official document.

Diego Ibarra’s initial court appearance remains undetermined, the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia noted. He faces a maximum of 10 years behind bars if he gets convicted. 

Why did Jose Ibarra kill Laken Riley?

The 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student was found dead from blunt force trauma on a trail near Lake Herrick on the nearby University of Georgia campus Thursday, February 23. She was initially reported missing by a friend after failing to return from a morning run.

At a press conference Friday night, UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark said that the suspect did not know Riley, and described the incident as a “crime of opportunity.” Clark confirmed that Jose Ibarra is not a US citizen, but did not reveal any details concerning his immigrant stautus.