Family and friends carried flowers and passed out red and green ribbons in remembrance of the late nursing student, holding each other up as they cried.
The event was entirely student-run and planned by the university’s Greek life. The president of Riley’s former sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, gave a heart wrenching tribute.
“Laken showed devotion with every aspect of her life,” said Chloe Mullis, president of the UGA chapter of Alpha Chi Omega. “Doing things halfway just wasn’t an option. We lost one of the brightest lights that has ever been.”
Members of Alpha Chi Omega held carnations, a symbol of the sorority.
Riley was killed while on a run near the UGA campus fields. Her suspected killer, Jose Ibarra, 26, was denied bond and remains in police custody. The arrest of Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, has raised concern over the state of the U.S. border security and immigration policies.
Ibarra has been charged with multiple felonies and is awaiting his next court hearing, which is expected to be sometime later this week.
Preliminary autopsy reports say Riley died of blunt force trauma, but further details on how the 22-year-old died won’t be available until the full toxicology and autopsy results are completed. However, court documents allege Ibarra used an object as a weapon in the crime, and he’s also accused of “disfiguring her skull,” according to newly filed arrest affidavits.
Ibarra is also accused of dragging Riley to a secluded area, according to one of the affidavits obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. The allegation that he dragged Riley’s body was filed to support the charge of concealing the death of another person.
Authorities have not said exactly how Riley was killed, only that her death was caused by blunt force trauma. Further details about the type of object used, or exactly how she was killed, are not included in the affidavits for arrest.
The university returned to class Monday, trying to get back to normal operations following Riley’s death.
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.
According to family and friends, Riley loved to run. She ran every day and dreamed of becoming a nurse. The 22-year-old was also very active in her church.
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.
Riley’s family spoke out for the first time since her death, posting a statement to the GoFundMe that was set up in her honor — which has already raised over $132,000.
“Every single dollar donated will go toward starting the Laken Hope Riley Foundation and will be used to drive homicide awareness and safety for women,” John Phillips, a beneficiary for the Riley family, said.
In a statement to NewsNation, the Woodstock City Church said:
“We are devasted by the news of the tragic death of Laken Riley. Laken’s family are active members of our church community. Our prayers are with them, as is our support to walk alongside them through this difficult time.”
A funeral service for Riley has been set for March 1 in her hometown of Woodstock.
People gather to mourn the loss of Laken Riley during a vigil for the Augusta University College of Nursing student at the Tate Plaza on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus, was found dead Thursday, Feb. 22, after a roommate reported she didn’t return from a morning run in a wooded area of the UGA campus near its intramural fields. Students also gathered to pay tribute to a UGA student who committed suicide last week. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP)
Students gather at the Tate Plaza on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, to pay tribute to Laken Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus who was found dead Thursday, Feb. 22, after a roommate reported she didn’t return from a morning run in a wooded area of the UGA campus near its intramural fields. UGA students also gathered to pay tribute to a student who committed suicide last week. (Nell Carroll/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
People gather at the Tate Plaza on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, to pay tribute to Laken Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus who was found dead Thursday, Feb. 22, after a roommate reported she didn’t return from a morning run in a wooded area of the UGA campus near its intramural fields. Panhellenic President Dabney Duncan hugs Alpha Chi Omega President Chloe Mullis after she spoke about what Riley meant to the sorority. People also gathered to pay tribute to a UGA student who committed suicide last week. (Nell Carroll/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
Augusta University students, in blue, and University of Georgia students gather at the Tate Plaza on the UGA campus in Athens, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, to pay tribute to Laken Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus who was found dead Thursday, Feb. 22, after a roommate reported she didn’t return from a morning run in a wooded area of the UGA campus near its intramural fields. UGA students also gathered to pay tribute to a student who committed suicide last week. (Nell Carroll/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
University of Georgia students gather to pay tribute to Laken Riley at the Tate Plaza on campus in Athens, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus, was found dead Thursday, Feb. 22, after a roommate reported she didn’t return from a morning run in a wooded area of the UGA campus near its intramural fields. Students also gathered to pay tribute to a UGA student who committed suicide last week. (Nell Carroll/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
A crowd of people gather to mourn the loss of Laken Riley during a vigil for the Augusta University College of Nursing student at the Tate Plaza on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus, was found dead Thursday, Feb. 22, after a roommate reported she didn’t return from a morning run in a wooded area of the UGA campus near its intramural fields. Students also gathered to pay tribute to a UGA student who committed suicide last week. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP)
Augusta University College of Nursing students gather to mourn the loss of Laken Riley during a vigil for the nursing student at the Tate Plaza on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus, was found dead Thursday, Feb. 22, after a roommate reported she didn’t return from a morning run in a wooded area of the UGA campus near its intramural fields. Students also gathered to pay tribute to a UGA student who committed suicide last week. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP)
People gather to mourn the loss of Laken Riley during a vigil for the Augusta University College of Nursing student at the Tate Plaza on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus, was found dead Thursday, Feb. 22, after a roommate reported she didn’t return from a morning run in a wooded area of the UGA campus near its intramural fields. Students also gathered to pay tribute to a UGA student who committed suicide last week. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP)
Alpha Chi Omega sorority members mourn the loss of their sorority sister, Laken Riley, during a vigil for the Augusta University College of Nursing student at the Tate Plaza on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus, was found dead Thursday, Feb. 22, after a roommate reported she didn’t return from a morning run in a wooded area of the UGA campus near its intramural fields. Students also gathered to pay tribute to a UGA student who committed suicide last week. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP)
People gather to mourn the loss of Laken Riley during a vigil for the Augusta University College of Nursing student at the Tate Plaza on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus, was found dead Thursday, Feb. 22, after a roommate reported she didn’t return from a morning run in a wooded area of the UGA campus near its intramural fields. Students also gathered to pay tribute to a UGA student who committed suicide last week. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP)
Laken Riley was found dead on the University of Georgia campus after she went for a jog. (Courtesy: Augusta University)
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to NewsNation that Jose Ibarra, the man accused of killing Riley, is a citizen of Venezuela who crossed into the United States illegally in 2022. (Clarke County Sheriff’s Office via NewsNation)
Diego Ibarra, a citizen of Venezuela, was arrested Friday in connection to Laken Riley’s death. Law enforcement say they approached the accused killer’s brother because he also matched the description of the homicide suspect. Police say Diego Ibarra presented them with a fake green card and he was taken into custody. (Clarke County Sheriff’s Office via NewsNation)