Laken Hope Riley was killed on Thursday, Feb. 22, while going for a jog on the University of Georgia campus. The 22-year-old Augusta University nursing and former UGA student was found unresponsive at approximately 12:38 p.m. by the UGA Police Department after Riley’s friend called, concerned that Riley had not returned home.
According to Athens-Clarke County Coroner Sonny Wilson, Riley’s death was the result of blunt force trauma to the head.
Both UGA and AU canceled all classes on the Friday following Riley’s murder.
In the weekend following, police located and arrested suspect Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26. Ibarra is being charged with felony murder, kidnapping, concealing the death of another, malice murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and hindering a 911 call.
UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark addressed the public this past weekend and has named Riley’s murder a “crime of opportunity.” It is not believed that Riley and Ibarra had any previous connection or encounter before Thursday’s attack.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has confirmed that Ibarra was residing in the U.S. illegally and is from Venezuela.
This realization has since sparked a slew of anti-illegal immigration dialogue among some, whereas others are against turning Riley’s death into an opportunity to involve politics.
For one, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp wrote a letter addressed to President Joe Biden on Saturday, posting it to his social media accounts as well.
“While we will continue to support Texas with National Guard resources as we have since 2019, federal action to secure the border is the only way to holistically address this ongoing crisis and ensure Laken Riley’s horrible fate is not replicated across the country,” Kemp said in the letter.
YikYak is an anonymous social media platform designed for college campuses. Students can only access the messages on their own campus’ platform, as you are required to have a valid student email address to sign up. Due to the anonymity of the platform, it can be the site of crude and hateful messages. In the case of Riley’s death, GC and UGA students took to YikYak to express an array of opinions.
Some of the comments were uplifting and shared love. Others even addressed politics in a respectful manner.
“While I am in favor of strengthening our border, I hate how this young lady’s death is only going to be used for lobbying efforts,” said a GC YikYak. “Once a death is politicized, I feel that it devalues the celebration of life that should occur for everyone.”
Some posts were more blunt.
“I think it’s disgusting to use Laken’s murder as a reason to talk about politics,” said another GC YikYak.
“I think it’s disgusting that she could still be here if the border was secure,” said a comment on this post.
Although this exchange differs politically, it is one of the milder responses circulating both GC and UGA YikYak boards this weekend.
“Who wants to go hunting tonight?” said one of the more threatening UGA YikYaks. “I know a few places where these migrants hang out.”
The anonymity of these boards has shielded the individuals writing these messages from any direct public response, but it has not kept students and organizations from defending the Latino community.
The presidents of two UGA student organizations, Ximena Cabrera of Latinos(as) Invested in Students of Tomorrow, or LISTo, and Stephany Romero-Gomez of the Hispanic Student Association, or HSA, wrote a joint letter.
“As the two main organizations serving the larger extent of our Latino community, we have found it necessary and imperative to address recent hate comments made against us,” they said in the letter. “The hurtful and discriminatory comments made following the tragic loss of one of our own have deeply shaken us all. Such grief should not be made use of for racism, hatred, or xenophobia.”
On Monday, a vigil was held on the UGA campus, organized by several groups, including the Interfraternity Council, the Beta Lambda Chapter of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, the Panhellenic Council and the Beta Sigma Chapter of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority.
This vigil was not just to commemorate Riley, an Alpha Chi Omega; on Wednesday evening, UGA student and Kappa Sigma Wyatt Banks took his own life.
GC has several mental health resources available for students who are struggling or need to talk. Counseling Services is available 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday at (478) 445-5331. Additionally, GC has a 24/7 Mental Health Support Line at (833) 855-0085. Additional servies are listed at https://www.gcsu.edu/gcmentalhealth.
Editorial Note: The Colonnade chose to write minimal information on Wyatt Banks in order to report as compassionately and ethically as possible and respect his family and friends. We express our condolences for the entire UGA, AU and Athens community in light of the great losses they have faced this week and send comfort and love to our Dawg neighbors.
