College of Nursing student found deceased on Athens campus; police suspect foul play

UPDATE:

Staff report

The body of a student in Augusta University’s College of Nursing campus in Athens was found on Thursday, Feb. 22, according the University of Georgia and Athens-Clark County Police.

Foul play is suspected in her death.

According to multiple news sources in Athens, police reported to the area on University of Georgia’s campus after noon on Thursday, after receiving a call from a concerned student who had not heard from a friend who went jogging near intramural fields earlier that morning.

The victim was found in a wooded area on campus and was pronounced deceased by EMS responders after 12:38 p.m. She was identified as 22-year-old Laken Riley on Friday morning.

The suspect in connection with the death, 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra, was taken into custody Friday evening and booked in the Athens-Clarke County Jail on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another. He was denied bond in court appearance on Saturday.

“We’re not going to leave any rock unturned on this investigation,” said UGA Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark said in an evening news conference on Feb. 22.

In a statement sent to the AU community, President Brooks Keel wrote: “It is with deepest sorrow that I share with you the news that one of our students at our College of Nursing campus at Athens has passed away.”

Keel added, “The receipt of this news this afternoon was shocking to all of us.”

Classes at UGA have been canceled for Friday, Feb. 23 and will resume on Monday, Feb. 26. UGA’s campus is expected to remain open.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is involved in the investigation.

Classes at AU will continue as scheduled.

This is a developing story.