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Laken Riley tried to call 911, put up a brave fight before being killed: Report

As per a former criminal profiler’s analysis, suspect Jose Antonio Ibarra likely panicked and went on to crush Riley's skull when she tried to fight back

Published on: Feb 29, 2024, 07:08:50 IST
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It has been revealed that Georgia nursing student Laken Riley desperately tried to call 911 when her murder suspect, Jose Antonio Ibarra, attacked her in the morning as she went for a run. According to police documents, Ibarra prevented her from dialling the number, and then dragged her body to a secluded area.

The murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Hope Riley, 22, has sent shockwaves across the US (GoFundMe)
The murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Hope Riley, 22, has sent shockwaves across the US (GoFundMe)

Ibarra likely panicked and went on to crush her skull when she tried to fight back, as per a former criminal profiler’s analysis, New York Post reported. The details of her injuries in the new warrants suggest Riley put on a brave fight, and Ibarra panicked before killing her.

“In this case, the offender was met with resistance which he wasn’t expecting, and it got overpowering and he couldn’t control it and he resorted to violence,” John Lang Jr., a former Georgia Bureau of Investigation investigator, told WSB-TV. “But he didn’t know what he was in for and I suspect she probably fought back,” said Lang, a criminal profiler not involved in the case.”

“He’s not a very big fellow and he may have been overwhelmed by her size and her strengths and tenacity to fight back,” Long added.

“Concealing her body, that’s just an opportunity to distance himself from the crime,” he said, adding that investigators cannot rule out that sexual assault may have been a motive. “In looking at this whole thing, this is like a disorganized offender. That’s what we call them” he added. “He just does it on the spur of the moment for whatever motivating factors.”

Laken Riley died from "blunt force trauma

Riley was found dead near a lake on the campus in Athens. She died from "blunt force trauma," according to official police reports. Riley was found to have “visible injuries,” according to UGA Police Chief Jeff Clark.

New charging documents have alleged that Ibarra caused “great bodily harm with an object.” Affidavits shared by Fox News says he was charged with aggravated battery for “seriously disfiguring her body … by disfiguring her skull.” He is also charged with preventing the 22-year-old “from making or completing a 911 call” with “intent to harm.” He dragged her body to a secluded area.

Ibarra, 26, an illegal immigrant, has been charged with malice and felony murder, aggravated battery, kidnapping, concealing the death of another and other charges. Police said the incident was a “crime of opportunity.” According to Clark, Ibarra does not have an “extensive” criminal history.

  • Sumanti Sen
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Sumanti Sen

    Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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