ATHENS, Ga. — The funeral for Laken Riley, the Augusta University nursing student who was tragically killed near the University of Georgia’s intramural fields in Athens late last week, was held on Friday.
Hundreds packed Woodstock City Church along Ridgewalk Parkway in Woodstock, Georgia, to pay their respects and say goodbye to Riley.
Samer Massad, the lead pastor at Woodstock City Church, described the 22-year-old as special, smart, kind, compassionate and thoughtful in a statement.
“When the world loses someone like Laken, whose light consistently shined so bright, it seems that much darker in their absence. Laken was special. She was a gift to anyone who knew her,” Massad wrote in the statement.
Riley was found dead on Feb. 22 near UGA’s Intramural Fields after campus police were called by a concerned friend saying that she had not returned from her morning run.
Authorities officially ruled Riley’s death a homicide Friday before arresting and charging suspect Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another person.
Police said Ibarra likely did not even know Riley and that it was a “crime of opportunity.” A judge denied bond for Ibarra at his first appearance in court on Saturday morning.
Riley’s family has started the Laken Hope Riley Foundation, which they said will be used to drive homicide awareness and safety for women. An online fundraiser was set up for the effort.
“On behalf of our entire family we would like send out a heartfelt thank you for your donations and overwhelming support. Laken was an amazing daughter, sister, friend, and overall person. Her love for the Lord was exemplified in every aspect of her life,” the online fundraiser read.
