Suspected Killer of Laken Riley, Jose Ibarra
As the notorious Venezuelan prison gang, Tren de Aragua, continues to broaden its presence in the United States, authorities have linked yet another member of this criminal network to the murder of a Georgia college student earlier this year.
Jose Ibarra, 26, is currently being held without bail, accused of brutally murdering 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley while she was jogging on the University of Georgia campus in February. Ibarra, who has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges including murder and kidnapping, has been under investigation for ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, also known as TdA.
His older brother, Diego Ibarra, 29, was also arrested, accused of committing green card fraud by using false identification to secure employment in Athens. Both brothers are suspected of having connections to the Tren de Aragua gang.
In addition, their younger brother, Argenis Ibarra, who also entered the United States illegally and was deported twice before joining his siblings in Georgia, is believed to be associated with the gang, according to a report by the New York Post, which cited sources within Homeland Security.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has not provided an official comment to Fox News Digital regarding this case.
However, an ICE spokesperson previously confirmed that the youngest Ibarra brother illegally entered the U.S. twice in 2023 — first on April 3, and again three weeks later. He was apprehended by ICE in Athens, Georgia, during the search for Riley’s killer on February 23.
For several months, law enforcement agencies across the nation have been raising alarms about the violent activities of the Tren de Aragua gang.
Earlier this year, TdA members were implicated in a mob attack on police officers in New York City. More recently, Homeland Security officials issued warnings that the gang has been encouraging its members to target and kill police officers.
In connection with the New York incident, ICE captured two suspected Venezuelan gang members.
Jose Ibarra recently appeared in court for a status hearing related to the murder of Laken Riley. (WAGA)
Tren de Aragua has also been blamed for a surge in violent robberies involving motorized scooters as getaway vehicles, organized retail theft, and human trafficking. Federal prosecutors have noted that the gang has established a foothold in states such as New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, and Georgia, and continues to grow its influence.
The gang is known for its distinctive imagery, which includes Chicago Bulls paraphernalia, tattoos of crowns, trains, and other symbols, as well as specific hand gestures.
According to InSight Crime, a nonprofit organization that monitors criminal groups in Latin America and the Caribbean, Tren de Aragua began its international expansion during a turf war along the Colombian border in 2018. With drug trafficking becoming increasingly competitive, the gang shifted its focus to human trafficking and smuggling.
As it expanded its operations, the gang violently took control of territories from smaller local groups. Today, Tren de Aragua operates not only in Venezuela but also in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Brazil, and it continues to spread its reach in the U.S.
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