An undocumented Venezuelan man dwelling in Athens, Georgia — who’s the brother of a suspect accused of killing on the College of Georgia campus —— was charged Friday evening with possessing a fraudulent inexperienced card, based on officers.
Diego Ibarra, 29, was charged by a federal felony criticism and is being held in state custody, the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace within the Center District of Georgia mentioned in a press launch. Ibarra might face as many as ten years in jail if convicted.
Ibarra is the brother of Jose Ibarra, 26, of Venezuela, who’s going through state fees for malice homicide, felony homicide, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 name and concealing the dying of one other in reference to the dying of Laken Hope Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta College nursing pupil who police discovered lifeless Thursday on the College of Georgia campus.
Homeland Safety Investigations discovered of Diego Ibarra’s undocumented presence within the U.S. on Friday when an Athens-Clarke County Police Division officer approached him earlier within the day as a result of he matched the outline of his brother as authorities have been investigating the UGA homicide, based on the felony criticism and sworn affidavit.
Laken Hope Riley was discovered lifeless on UGA’s campus on Thursday, February 22, 2024. (Laken Riley/Instagram)
Diego Ibarra confirmed the officer a U.S. everlasting resident card, in any other case generally known as a inexperienced card, as identification. The cardboard was decided to be fraudulent, and Diego Ibarra was processed for expedited removing, however he claimed a reputable worry of returning to his house nation of Venezuela. He was then launched from immigration custody pending adjudication of his declare for asylum on April 30, 2024.
Since getting into the nation, Diego Ibarra has been arrested thrice by Athens legislation enforcement. In late September, he was arrested for driving inebriated and driving with no license. A few month later, he was arrested for shoplifting, and in December he was arrested for failure to look for a fingerprintable offense.
Melissa Hodges, a spokesperson for the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace within the Center District of Georgia, mentioned she will be able to verify Diego Ibarra is undocumented however can not say the identical for his brother.
”I can verify Jose Ibarra is from Venezuela solely. Diego is undocumented from Venezuela,” Hodges informed Fox Information Digital. ”I wouldn’t have the main points on Jose Ibarra.”
Jose Ibarra, who was initially taken into custody on Friday by the UGA Police Division in reference to Riley’s dying, is not believed to have had a connection to the sufferer.
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA POLICE QUESTIONING ‘PERSON OF INTEREST’ IN LAKEN RILEY HOMICIDE
Laken Hope Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta College nursing pupil who police discovered lifeless Thursday on the College of Georgia campus. (Laken Riley/Fb)
UGA Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark mentioned throughout a information briefing Friday night that the assault was a ”crime of alternative,” including that Riley was not a pupil at UGA. Riley had beforehand attended UGA earlier than getting into a nursing program at Augusta’s Athens campus.
Courses and occasions at each universities have been canceled on Friday.
Clark mentioned Jose Ibarra’s immigration standing was not instantly recognized to investigators.
”Proper now I don’t know his full standing,” he mentioned. ”He’s not a citizen of the US.”
Police discovered Riley close to UGA’s Intramural Fields and Lake Herrick with ”seen accidents” at round 12:38 p.m. Thursday after they obtained a name from a involved pal who mentioned she had gone for a run and didn’t return.
GEORGIA NURSING STUDENT FOUND DEAD ON UGA CAMPUS IDENTIFIED AS LAKEN RILEY
Laken Riley poses for a photograph posted to Fb. Riley was discovered lifeless close to a lake on UGA’s campus on Thursday, February 22, 2024. (Allyson Phillips/Fb)
Riley had seen accidents and police couldn’t find a pulse, however they started CPR anyway. A sergeant arrived with a defibrillator minutes later and unsuccessfully tried to revive the sufferer.
”Based mostly on the accidents and Riley’s bodily situation, I suspected that foul play was concerned,” the police report reads.
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Clark mentioned it appeared as if she had been killed by blunt-force trauma.
Post-mortem outcomes remained pending Friday, however authorities mentioned they have been investigating her dying as a murder. Clark mentioned it appeared as if she had been killed by blunt-force trauma.
Fox Information’ Audrey Conklin and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.