UGA killing ‘latest proof’ every state is a border state: Kemp
- The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Laken Hope Riley
- Kemp has blamed Biden administration’s immigration policy for her death
- ICE: Suspect is an illegal migrant from Venezuela with arrest record
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(NewsNation) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday blamed the White House for the death of Laken Riley, a student killed last week on the University of Georgia campus.
Kemp has expressed fury over the 22-year-old’s death, suggesting in a letter to the White House that her alleged killer slipped through cracks in the Biden administration’s immigration policy.
“It is an understatement to say that this is a major crisis,” Kemp said Monday morning during a news conference. “Because of the White House’s failures, every state is now a border state. Laken Riley’s murder is just the latest proof of that.”
Shortly after Kemp’s conference, President Joe Biden posted a statement to social media defending his administration’s border efforts.
“Months ago, I instructed my team to begin working with bipartisan lawmakers to fix our immigration system. They did a hell of a job, and together, we put forward some of the most fair reforms ever. Speaker Johnson, it’s time to call a vote and send this bill to my desk,” he wrote.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to NewsNation that Jose Ibarra, 26, the man accused of killing Riley, is a citizen of Venezuela who crossed into the United States illegally in 2022.
According to ICE officials, Ibarra made his way to New York City, where he was arrested Sept. 14, 2023, and charged with “acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation. He was released by the NYPD before a detainer could be issued.”
Ibarra was arrested Friday on suspicion of killing Riley in broad daylight while she was out on her morning jog along a popular UGA running trail.
Ibarra made an initial court appearance Saturday on several felony charges including murder, kidnapping and aggravated assault. He is expected back in court sometime this week.
Laken Riley was found dead on the University of Georgia campus after she went for a jog. (Courtesy: Augusta University) 
FILE – A sign for the University of Georgia is seen, May 28, 2004, in Athens, Ga. A woman was found dead Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, on the campus of the University of Georgia after a friend told police she had not returned from a morning run, the university said. (AP Photo/Allen Sullivan, File)
Authorities are confident Riley didn’t know her attacker, but NewsNation can confirm a link between Ibarra and UGA. A university spokesperson said Ibarra’s brother Diego recently worked in a campus dining hall as a dishwasher.
Riley’s initial cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma. Kemp said Monday that while Riley’s death seemed to be an isolated incident, it should serve as a reminder to the public to stay vigilant and look out for each other.
The 22-year-old had been a student at UGA until last spring when she transferred to Augusta University, but she remained close with her sorority sisters.
Alpha Chi Omega is organizing a memorial service on campus later Monday in Riley’s honor. A family friend of Riley’s described her as “sweet and kind,” saying she had the best southern manners and always had a smile on her face.
A funeral service for Riley has been set for March 1 in her hometown of Woodstock. A GoFundMe has been started to help the family with funeral expenses. At last check, it has raised over $113,000.
