Laken Riley’s devastated family break silence after she was slain while on a run at University of Georgia – remembering her as an ‘amazing daughter, sister, friend’ as illegal immigrant is held for her murder

The family of slain Laken Riley has broken their silence after the University of Georgia nursing student was killed during a flight.

Laken Riley, 22, was found dead Thursday afternoon in a wooded area near Lake Herrick. Illegal Venezuelan immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra was charged with murder on Friday and is being held in the Clarke County Jail.

“We would like to thank the public for their prayers and thoughts during this tragic time,” the devastated family said in a statement Fox News digital.

‘Laeken was a wonderful daughter, sister, friend and general person. Her love for the Lord was evident in every aspect of her life.

The UGA murder victim was killed by “blunt force trauma,” police investigating her death said

Allyson Phillips, Riley’s mother, has posted several photos and videos of the entire family over the years

“She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life in a big way.

They added: ‘During this most difficult time, we ask that you respect our privacy and give us the time and space necessary to grieve our daughter’s life, which was tragically cut short.’

Riley was reported missing after his concerned roommate told police she had not returned from jogging.

She was killed by “blunt force trauma,” police confirmed.

“The individual was unconscious, not breathing and had visible injuries,” UGA Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark said in a statement.

Ibarra, 26, crossed the border into El Paso, Texas, in September 2022 but was released from a detention center due to lack of space, NewsNation reported.

Now Republicans, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, have called for Ibarra to receive the death penalty.

“Ibarra is an illegal alien and murdered a young woman the age of my own children. Deportation is not enough. He deserves the death penalty,” Georgia’s representative said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, has been identified and charged in the alleged murder of nursing student Laken Riley, 22, at the University of Georgia in Athens

He has been charged with malice murder, murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, obstructing a 911 call and concealing the death of another.

Police are searching a wooded area at the University of Georgia after Thursday’s shock discovery

Officials confirmed that Ibarra is not a U.S. citizen and did not know or have any relationship with Riley

Riley, 22, was found dead Thursday afternoon after her roommate reported her missing and said she had not returned from her jog

“You want to enter our country ILLEGALLY and kill one of our girls. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT!’ She added another.

Ibarra has been charged with malice murder, murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, obstructing a 911 call, concealing the death of another and failing to appear on a fingerprintable charge .

Police said he did not know the victim and that the crime was a “random solo act.”

UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark told reporters at a news conference Thursday that officers searched Ibarra’s apartment in Athens and evidence shows he acted alone.

‘He didn’t know her at all. I think this is a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual and bad things happened,” Clark said.

‘The evidence is robust. It is supported by important community input, physical evidence and expert police work. Importantly, we were assisted by video footage from our campus security camera network.”

Republicans, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, have called for Ibarra to receive the death penalty, saying ‘deportation is not enough’

Riley was a senior nursing student enrolled at Augusta University College of Nursing in Athens and grew up in Woodstock, Georgia.

Before earning her bachelor’s degree from UGA in 2023, she graduated from River Ridge High School in 2020.

Riley was a member of her high school’s cross country and track teams and was described by Cherokee County School District Superintendent Brian Hightower as “an outstanding scholar athlete.”

She was also a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.