Laken Riley murder: Venezuelan suspect accused of killing UGA campus jogger was arrested in US in 2023 but later released

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA: An ICE spokeswoman disclosed on Sunday, February 26, 2024, that the Venezuelan man, who has been accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley this week, has a past criminal record and was released in 2023 after being a registered as a criminal.

Jose Ibarra, 26, who was arrested in connection with Riley's death on Friday, February 23, was charged with endangering a minor after it was found that he was driving an unregistered vehicle in September 2023 with his child inside, ICE spokeswoman Lindsay Williams told The Daily Beast in a statement.

Jose Ibarra entered the country illegally via Texas

Williams attested to the fact that in 2022, the suspect entered the country illegally in the vicinity of El Paso, Texas. After being "paroled and released for further processing," Ibarra eventually traveled to New York City, where he was taken into custody the following year.

Williams continued, “He was released by the NYPD before a detainer could be issued.”

According to University of Georgia police, the brothers, Jose Ibarra and Diego Ibarra resided in an apartment building close to the location where the body of murdered nursing student Laken Riley was discovered on Thursday, February 22.

Both the brothers are being held at the Athens-Clarke County Jail without bond.

Ibarra did not know Riley, according to UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark, who called the murder a "crime of opportunity." He said that "robust" evidence, which included video from the university's security camera, had led to Ibarra's arrest.

Authorities would keep searching his apartment, Clark continued. "I will say, we didn’t need the evidence inside of the apartment to convict Mr Ibarra," Clark stated at a press conference on Friday night.

In shock over her death, Riley's loved ones expressed their condolences.

Laken Riley's family issues a statement over her murder

Through a close friend, Riley's family issued a statement on Saturday, February 24, praising the police and investigators for their efforts in apprehending the suspected killer of the 22-year-old. They recalled Riley as a kind and devoted individual to everyone in her vicinity.

“Laken was an amazing daughter, sister, friend and overall person in general. Her love for the Lord was exemplified in every aspect of her life. She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life moving forward in a very big way,” the statement read, as reported by Daily Beast.

In addition, the family requested time to grieve and gather information while the suspect was being prosecuted by the police.

“During this most difficult time, we ask that you respect our privacy, and provide us the time and space necessary to grieve our daughter's life that was tragically cut short,” they said.

Riley was described by her friends as being incredibly supportive of her loved ones and genuinely kind to strangers. Connolly Huth, a close friend and roommate from college, bemoaned the promising future of the young woman.

“You were supposed to cross the finish line with me for our first marathon, you were supposed to stand next to me at my wedding, you were supposed to save so many lives, you were supposed to be the aunt to my children. It was not supposed to be like this,” Huth wrote in a statement posted to Instagram.

“I find peace in knowing how strong your faith was in God and how your actions reflected him in everything you did,” Huth added.