Woman found dead after going for a run on the University of Georgia campus
A suspect has been charged in the death of the 22-year-old nursing student
One suspect has been charged in the death of a 22-year-old nursing student, Laken Hope Riley, who was found dead on Thursday on the University of Georgia Athens campus after going out for a run, ABC 11 reported.
The University of Georgia community was alerted when a friend reported Riley missing after she failed to return from her morning run at the school’s intramural fields. University police located Riley in a wooded area near the fields, where she was found “unconscious and not breathing” with evident injuries. Despite efforts to administer medical aid, Riley was pronounced dead at the scene; her cause of death was later determined to be blunt force trauma.
The alleged perpetrator, identified as 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra, now faces a multitude of charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, obstructing an emergency call, and concealing the death of another. Ibarra was denied bond during his initial court appearance on Saturday and is currently being held in jail. Police told the media that evidence suggested the crime was a solo act.
Riley was a dedicated runner who competed in Georgia’s AthHalf Half Marathon in October 2023.
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Foul play suspected in disappearance of Australian runner
Riley’s death occurred only days after Australian police announced a tragic update in the ongoing search for 51-year-old Samantha Murphy, who disappeared while out running on Feb. 4th. Police in the Australian province of Victoria have expressed doubt about Murphy’s survival, and announced that they suspect the involvement of “one or more parties,” reported The Guardian.
An intensified ground search has begun based on new mobile phone data. The renewed effort involves up to 40 detectives scouring an area approximately 7 km south of Murphy’s home, in hopes of uncovering vital clues.
Australian police continue search for runner who vanished in local park
Australian police ruled out the possibility of Murphy leaving the area voluntarily and dismissed the likelihood of a medical incident. Experienced detectives from the Australian crime and counter-terrorism command have joined the missing persons squad in searching for her, and are in the process of reviewing about 12,000 hours of CCTV footage. They have confirmed that Murphy’s husband is not a suspect.
The two recent incidents have highlighted the safety concerns women across the world face while running alone. In 2023, a survey conducted by Adidas of 9,000 runners from nine countries revealed that 92 per cent of women reported feeling unsafe while running, with more than half being afraid of physical attack, compared to only 28 per cent of men.
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