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Laken Riley case: Georgia authorities identify murder suspect in custody in nursing student's slaying

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Laken Riley case: Georgia authorities identify murder suspect in custody in nursing student's slaying

The University of Georgia Police Department have taken a suspect in custody in connection with the suspected homicide of a 22-year-old nursing student from Augusta University who police found dead on the University of Georgia campus Thursday.

Police have charged Jose Antonio Ibarra with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another, UGA Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark said during a news briefing Friday evening. The suspect is not a U.S. citizen, according to authorities. 

Ibarra measures 5 foot 3 inches and weighs 170 lbs, per the Clarke County Sheriff’s Department booking sheet. Laken measured 5 feet 4 inches, weighing 115 lbs, according to a UGA Police Department report.

Jose Ibarra, who was originally taken into custody on Friday by the UGA Police Department in connection with Riley’s death, is now not believed to have had a connection to the victim. (Clarke County Sheriff’s Office)

“The evidence is robust,” he told reporters, crediting campus security cameras in part for the arrest.

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Clark said he believed the attack was a “crime of opportunity” and that the suspected killer had no known connection to the victim. Ibarra is not a UGA student, he added.

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA POLICE QUESTIONING ‘PERSON OF INTEREST’ IN LAKEN RILEY HOMICIDE

Laken Riley smiles for a photo while running

Laken Riley smiles for a photo while running. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Thursday, February 22, 2024, after she failed to return from her morning jog. (Laken Riley/Instagram)

Ibarra’s immigration status was not immediately known to investigators, the chief said, adding that he believed the suspect is from Venezuela.

“Right now I don’t know his full status,” he said. “He is not a citizen of the United States.”

Police initially swept up three to four people during the early stages of the investigation but were only arresting and charging Ibarra, Clark added. 

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Chief Jeffrey L. Clark

Police have charged Jose Antonio Ibarra with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another, UGA Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark said (Fox News Digital)

“While the perpetrator’s legal status is unclear, if the Chief’s statement is accurate and that he is a Venezuelan migrant — potentially admitted under the continuing ‘special status’ program — it is past time to recognize the obvious: Maduro has taken a page from Castro’s book and is emptying his criminals into the U.S., and we are holding the door open for them,” Paul Mauro, a retired NYPD inspector, told Fox News Digital.

Furthermore, as the repatriation flights have predictably been suspended by the Maduro regime — there is no mechanism to return even those we wish to deport.

— Paul Mauro, retired NYPD inspector

Riley had previously attended UGA before entering a nursing program at Augusta’s Athens campus, where she made the Dean’s List.

Laken Riley poses for a photo posted to Facebook

Laken Riley poses for a photo posted to Facebook. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Thursday, February 22, 2024. (Laken Riley/Facebook)

Police were asking anyone who saw anything “relevant or suspicious” between 7 a.m. and noon Thursday around UGA’s Intramural Fields and Lake Herrick to call 706-542-2200.

That’s where they found Riley – with “visible injuries” – within 30 after they received a call from a concerned friend who said she went for a run and didn’t come back.

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According to an incident report obtained by Fox News Digital, multiple officers began searching for Riley near the Intramural Fields around 12:07 p.m. At 12:38, a UGA police officer spotted her on the ground. 

“I called out to Riley, and I did not get a response,” the officer wrote.

Read the incident report:

She had visible injuries, and police could not locate a pulse. They began CPR anyway. A sergeant arrived with a defibrillator minutes later and unsuccessfully attempted to revive the victim.

“Based on the injuries and Riley’s physical condition, I suspected that foul play was involved,” the police report reads. Investigators were reviewing the officer’s bodycam for additional evidence.

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Laken Riley memorial flowers at Lake Herrick

Flowers under the sign at Lake Herrick, where Georgia nursing student Laken Riley was found dead Thursday after failing to return home from her morning run. (Audrey Conklin/Fox News Digital)

GEORGIA NURSING STUDENT FOUND DEAD ON UGA CAMPUS IDENTIFIED AS LAKEN RILEY

Laken Riley in a medical coat in a grassy field

Laken Riley poses for a photo posted to Facebook. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Thursday, February 22, 2024. (Allyson Phillips/Facebook)

Autopsy results remained pending Friday, but authorities said they were investigating her death as a homicide. Clark said it appeared as though she had been killed by blunt-force trauma.

Classes and events at both universities were canceled Friday.

Laken Riley smiles wearing a brown top

Laken Riley poses for a photo posted to Facebook. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Thursday, February 22, 2024. (Laken Riley/Facebook)

 

Lake Herrick is part of UGA’s campus, nestled between various university practice fields and Oconee Forest Park. The lake is bordered by a pedestrian trail and has a recreational beach. Authorities are asking the public to avoid the area as they investigate.

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The last time UGA reported a homicide on campus was 20 years ago, UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark said during a Thursday evening news conference. The police chief said that there was not “immediate danger” on campus.



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Southeast

Florida man allegedly attempted to 'club' wife, stab himself in the heart on Christmas Day

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Florida man allegedly attempted to 'club' wife, stab himself in the heart on Christmas Day

A Florida man was arrested on Christmas Day after allegedly attempting to kill his wife and himself in a murder-suicide, according to police reports.

Jonathan McPhee, 78, faces a first-degree attempted murder charge after he allegedly attacked his wife and then called 911 at the couple’s home on Pine Cone Way.

McPhee told the dispatcher, “I clubbed her, and I’m going to try to stab myself in the heart,” according to a legal document obtained by People Magazine.

OHIO GIRL, 7, BEGGED HER DAD NOT TO KILL HER AFTER MURDER-SUICIDE THREAT: ‘I DON’T WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN TODAY’

A Florida man was arrested on Christmas Day after allegedly attempting to kill his wife, according to police reports. (iStock)

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When Largo Police Department officers arrived, they found McPhee had stabbed himself and his wife had suffered blunt-force trauma. 

They were both transported to a local hospital, where they are in critical condition.

“While being attended to by medical staff, the defendant spontaneously stated, ‘Just let me die, I killed (redacted),” according to an arrest report.

SCOTT PETERSON ARREST MONTHS AFTER LACI DISAPPEARED CHRISTMAS EVE MAY HAVE BEEN STRATEGIC: FORMER HOMICIDE COP

Prison-Bars

Jonathan McPhee, 78, faces an attempted murder charge after he allegedly attacked his wife and then called 911 at the couple’s home on Pine Cone Way. (iStock)

He also sent a text to his wife’s daughter saying he “killed” her and was going to kill himself because of “financial and health issues,” the report said.

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He allegedly went on to detail how he would like the funeral arrangements and life insurance to be handled.

This is an ongoing investigation, and no further information is available currently.

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Florida law will create safety barrier for first responders

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Florida law will create safety barrier for first responders

A new law in Florida will support the need to keep first responders safe while working a call.

Senate Bill 184 will go into effect on Jan. 1 and will prohibit a person, after receiving a warning, from approaching a first responder engaged in the lawful performance of their job.

The law is aimed at helping police, fire and EMS personnel stay focused while performing critical first aid.

FLORIDA LAW BANNING HOMELESS PEOPLE FROM SLEEPING IN PUBLIC OUTDOOR SPACES TAKES EFFECT

A new Florida law will keep first responders safe by prohibiting a person from approaching any police, fire or EMS personnel while working on a call. (Delray Beach Police Department)

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It will create a 25-foot barrier around the responder, keeping the public at bay. It also includes keeping the public from threatening and harassing the responders while they are trying to do their jobs.

Violators will receive a warning initially, but could face criminal penalties if they don’t heed it.

NEW FLORIDA LAW ESTABLISHES SAFE SPACE IN SHERIFF’S OFFICE PARKING LOTS FOR CHILD CUSTODY EXCHANGES

People who approach a first responder on the job will initially receive a warning, but could face a fine and up to 60 days in jail.

People who approach a first responder on the job will initially receive a warning, but could face a fine and up to 60 days in jail. (iStock)

The new law comes with a penalty of up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

The bill also outlines that a violator could face a second-degree misdemeanor.

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Flood rescue in Mamaroneck, New York

The law considers first responders to be law enforcement officers, corrections officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

It also specifies the definition of “first responder” to include law enforcement officers, a correctional probation officer, firefighters and emergency medical care providers.

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Louisiana hunter cited for violations after shooting man he mistook for a deer

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Louisiana hunter cited for violations after shooting man he mistook for a deer

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is reiterating the importance of hunting safety after a man was shot by a hunter who mistook him for a deer.

Law enforcement agents responded to a shooting involving two hunters on property in Zachary, a city in East Baton Rouge Parish, on Dec. 23, the department said on Facebook.

The two hunters were unknowingly hunting deer on the “same small private property” when one hunter mistook the other for a deer and accidentally shot him.

Both men had permission to be on the property, according to local media.

FORMER CENTRAL MICHIGAN QUARTERBACK TOMMY LAZZARO, 27, KILLED IN HUNTING ACCIDENT

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A Louisiana hunter was cited for two violations after accidentally shooting another hunter, who he mistook for a deer, while they were both on the same “small” property, according to the state’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. (iStock)

He was hit with buckshot from a 20-gauge shotgun, the agency said. The shooter immediately called 911 for help once he realized he had shot a man and not a deer.

The wounded hunter was airlifted to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge with non-fatal injuries. Law enforcement did not state where the man was shot.

hunting rifle on iStock

The hunter accidentally shot a man with buckshot from a 20-gauge shotgun. (iStock)

SIX ‘WINNERS’ OF LOUISIANA STATE-RUN HOG HUNTING CONTEST ACCUSED OF CHEATING, FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES

When law enforcement investigated what took place, they discovered neither hunter was wearing orange or had deer tags in their possession. The shooter was cited for both violations.

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LDWF said additional charges are possible as the investigation remains active.

The agency reminded all hunters to prioritize safety by always wearing orange, which is required by law, and positively identifying your target and surroundings before firing your weapon.

It is required by law to wear orange or pink when hunting deer during gun season in Louisiana.

It is required by law to wear orange or pink when hunting deer during gun season in Louisiana. (iStock)

“Let’s work together to prevent incidents like this and ensure everyone enjoys the outdoors safely,” LDWF said.

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