Laken Hope Riley was an American nursing student who was murdered near Lake Herrick on the University of Georgia campus on 22 February 2024. She was 22 years old.
Riley was a student at Augusta University College of Nursing in Athens, Georgia, and had previously attended the University of Georgia. Her death became nationally known after Jose Antonio Ibarra was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Education
Riley studied nursing at Augusta University College of Nursing. Augusta University described her as a student on its Athens campus and publicly mourned her death in February 2024.
Before moving into nursing studies, she had attended the University of Georgia. Public reporting also described her as a runner.
Death
On 22 February 2024, Riley went running near Lake Herrick and did not return. A friend reported concern, and University of Georgia police later found her body in a wooded area near campus trails.
Jose Antonio Ibarra was arrested the next day. At trial, prosecutors used forensic and digital evidence to link him to the killing.
Criminal Case
Ibarra was convicted on 20 November 2024 after a bench trial in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
In March 2026, the trial judge denied Ibarra's request for a new trial. AP reported that the judge rejected arguments about DNA review time and cellphone evidence.
Public Legacy
Riley's family and supporters connected her memory with nursing education, campus safety and the Laken Riley Act. The Act was signed into United States federal law as Public Law 119-1 on 29 January 2025.
Because Riley was the victim of a murder and not a public official, public coverage of her life is usually centred on her education, family tributes, the criminal case and the policy debate that followed.
See Also
References
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