An undocumented Venezuelan man living in Athens, Georgia, and the brother of a suspect accused of murder on the University of Georgia campus, was charged Friday night with possession of a fraudulent green card, officials said.
Diego Ybarra, 29, has been charged with a federal criminal complaint and is in state custody, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia said in a press release. If Ibarra is convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
Mr. Ibarra is the younger brother of Jose Ibarra, 26, of Venezuela, who is charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, interfering with a 911 call, and death of another person in connection with the incident. He has been indicted by the state on charges of concealment. Augusta University nursing student Laken Hope Riley, 22, was found dead by police Thursday. University of Georgia campus.
Homeland Security investigators on Friday identified Diego Ybarra as an Athens-Clarke County Sheriff’s Office officer who matched the description of his brother as authorities investigated the UGA murders, according to a criminal complaint. When they approached him, they learned on Friday that he was in the United States illegally. and his affidavit.
Laken Riley case: Georgia authorities identify murder suspect in custody for killing of nursing student
Laken Hope Riley was found dead on the UGA campus on Thursday, February 22, 2024. (Laken Riley/Instagram)
Diego Ibarra showed the officer his U.S. permanent resident card, also known as a green card, as identification. The card was determined to be fraudulent and Diego Ibarra was immediately deported, but he claimed he was in real fear of returning to his native Venezuela. He was subsequently released from immigration detention on April 30, 2024, pending adjudication of his asylum claim.
Since entering the country, Diego Ibarra has been arrested three times by Athens law enforcement. In late September, he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and driving without a license. About a month later, he was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting, and in December he was arrested on suspicion of failing to appear in court for fingerprinting.
Melissa Hodges, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, said she can confirm that Diego Ybarra is in the United States illegally, but the same cannot be said for his brother.
“I can confirm only that Jose Ibarra is from Venezuela. Diego entered the country illegally from Venezuela,” Hodges told FOX News Digital. “I don’t know the details about Jose Ibarra.”
Jose Ybarra was originally taken into custody by UGA police on Friday in connection with Riley’s death, but is now believed to have no connection to the victim.
University of Georgia police question ‘person of interest’ in Laken Riley murder case
Augusta University nursing student Laken Hope Riley, 22, was found dead by police on Thursday on the University of Georgia campus. (Laken Riley/Facebook)
UGA Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark said in a press conference Friday night that the attack was a “crime of opportunity,” adding that Riley is not a UGA student. He attended UGA before Riley enrolled in the nursing program at Augusta’s Athens campus.
Classes and events at both universities were canceled Friday.
Clark said Jose Ibarra’s immigration status was not immediately known to investigators.
“We don’t know the details of his situation at this time,” he said. “He is not a U.S. citizen.”
Responding to a tip from a concerned friend, police found Riley with “visible injuries” near UGA’s intramural field and Herrick Lake around 12:38 p.m. Thursday.
Georgia nursing student found dead on Uga campus, identified as Laken Riley
Laken Riley poses for a photo to post on Facebook. Riley was found dead on Thursday, February 22, 2024, near a lake on the UGA campus. (Alison Phillips/Facebook)
Riley had visible injuries and police were unable to determine a pulse, but they began CPR anyway. A sergeant arrived a few minutes later with a defibrillator, but attempts to revive the victim were unsuccessful.
“Due to the injuries and Riley’s physical condition, we suspected foul play was involved,” the police report said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Clark said it appeared as if he had died from blunt force trauma.
Autopsy results were not yet available Friday, but authorities said they were investigating her death as a homicide. Clark said she appeared to have died from blunt force trauma.
FOX News’ Audrey Conklin and Sarah Rumpf-Witten contributed to this report.
