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Officials in Athens, Georgia, faced backlash on Wednesday during a press conference about the death of Laken Riley.
Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz spoke to reporters and community members on Wednesday to discuss the death of Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was found dead this weekend. Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan migrant, was arrested in connection with her killing.
During the press conference, Girtz was repeatedly interrupted by community members who called for him to resign and said, "You are guilty and got blood on your hands, sir."
"You need to go, sir. We don't want to hear from you anymore. You're not defending us. You're not upholding your oath of office. You are a criminal," one person yelled.
Newsweek reached out to Girtz's office via email for comment.
The context:
Over the weekend, Riley's body was found in a secluded area near the University of Georgia campus, prompting an investigation. Ibarra was soon arrested on an array of charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and concealing Riley's death.
Arrest affidavits obtained Tuesday by the Associated Press stated that Riley was killed by blunt force trauma and that Ibarra was accused of "disfiguring her skull."
What we know:
Shortly after Ibarra's arrest, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that Ibarra was arrested in 2022 for illegally crossing into the United States.
According to ICE, Ibarra was arrested in New York in 2023 for acting in a manner to injure a child under the age of 17. Ibarra was released in New York before an immigration detainer could be issued. Ibarra is alleged to have traveled to Georgia, where Riley's killing was carried out.
Views:
The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee called on the Biden administration to release further information about Ibarra's past criminal history.
The White House said in a statement, "We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Laken Hope Riley...People should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law if they are found to be guilty. Given this is an active case, we would have to refer you to state law enforcement and ICE."
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote: "The most effective way to end Sanctuary Cities like Athens and Atlanta and correct wrongful political prosecutorial discretion would be for the Republican controlled Georgia state legislature to stop funding them."
What's next:
During his press conference on Wednesday, Girtz called on Congress to work towards passing the bipartisan border security deal, which President Joe Biden has supported.
The legislation has faced intense scrutiny and opposition by House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson, who initially said it was "dead on arrival."
Update 2/28/24, 9:56 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 2/28/24, 10:41 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
About the writer
Matthew Impelli is a Newsweek staff writer based in New York. His focus is reporting social issues and crime. In ... Read more