The Killing at U. of Georgia: What We Know

The body of a 22-year-old woman was found in a wooded area at the University of Georgia in Athens on Thursday, sending shock waves through Clarke County, a community about 70 miles east of Atlanta.

When the authorities revealed that the man charged with the killing was an immigrant from Venezuela, the crime became a political flashpoint.

The victim, Laken Riley, was a nursing student at nearby Augusta University. On Friday, Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, was charged with her murder. The two did not know each other, the authorities said.

Many questions remain about the killing, which was believed to be the first in nearly 30 years on the campus. Here’s what we know.

The victim

Ms. Riley was once a student at the University of Georgia.

Ms. Riley was an undergraduate student at the school until the spring of 2023. After that, she enrolled in Augusta University’s nursing program, which has a campus in Athens, school officials said. She was on Augusta University’s fall 2023 dean’s list.

In posts on Instagram, Ms. Riley’s friends described her as a great friend, student and roommate, who loved running, dancing and singing, and who had an infectious laugh.