- Diego lbarra, the older brother of Laken Riley’s suspected killer, has ties to a violent Venezuela gang, prosecutors say
- He was arrested for possessing a fake green card when police were hunting for his brother, Jose
- Riley’s body was discovered on February 22 in a forested area after Jose allegedly bludgeoned her with an unknown object
By EMMA RICHTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 23:49 EST, 6 March 2024 | UPDATED: 00:02 EST, 7 March 2024
The brother of the illegal migrant suspected of brutally killing Laken Riley has ties to a violent Venezuela organized crime gang, according to federal prosecutors.
Diego lbarra, 29, was previously arrested and charged with possessing a fake green card after he handed it to police as they hunted for his brother.
His younger brother, Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, has been accused of murdering Augusta University student Laken Riley, 22, after he bludgeoned her with an unknown object on February 22.
Federal authorities have since found that Diego has ties to the Venezuela-based gang Tren de Aragua, a violent gang that has been trying to gain a foothold in the US.
The gang-tie revelation comes as Riley’s parents declined an invitation to attend the Thursday’s State of the Union address so they could grieve the brutal killing of the nursing student. 
Diego lbarra, 29, the brother of the illegal migrant suspected of brutally killing Laken Riley has ties to the violent Venezuela organized crime gang Tren de Aragua
His younger brother, Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, has been accused of murdering Augusta University nursing student Laken Riley, 22, after he bludgeoned her with an unknown object on February 22w
Jose is accused of using an unknown object to kill Riley and preventing her from making a 911 call when he allegedly grabbed her between 9am and 1pm on the day of her murder
The Tren de Aragua gang, also known as TdA, has made its way into New York City, Texas, Florida, Illinois and Georgia, along with South and Central America. The group has also been linked to the violent assault on NYPD officers in January.
Investigators discovered multiple pictures posted to Diego’s social media with him in Chicago Bulls basketball attire, something Tda members are known to wear, according to prosecutors.
‘TdA members frequently wear Chicago Bulls basketball attire, even if they have no connection to Chicago or the Bulls,’ prosecutors said.
Homeland Security Investigators also found photos of Diego flashing the gang’s hand signals online, along with identifying tattoos like stars, clocks, trains, weapons and crowns.
More pictures of him with firearms were found online even though illegal immigrants in the US are not legally allowed to own guns.
‘Ibarra is a citizen of Venezuela and was processed for expedited removal but claimed a credible fear of return to Venezuela,’ the United States Attorney’s Office Middle District of Georgia wrote in a statement.
‘He was consequently released from immigration custody pending adjudication of his claim for asylum on April 30, 2024.’
A month after that, he allegedly cut off his ankle monitor that Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed on him. It was later found in Colorado, but by that time, Diego had made it to Athens, Georgia.
While in Georgia, Diego had multiple run-ins with police and was hit with multiple DUI charges, was accused of stealing his girlfriend’s phone and reportedly shoplifted from two different Walmart stores.
Diego has been in custody since late February as he faced federal charges for possessing a fake green card.
The elder Ibarra was stopped by Athens-Clarke County police because he matched the description for the suspected killer.
Police discovered pictured of Diego on social media flashing the gang’s hand signals (left). They also found images of him wearing Chicago Bulls basketball attire, something Tda members are known to wear (right). 
Georgia Rep. Mike Collins invited Riley’s parents to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday, but they declined the invite to grieve the loss of their beloved daughter
Georgia Rep. Mike Collins invited Riley’s parents to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday, but they declined so they could grieve the loss of their beloved daughter.
‘I invited Laken Riley’s parents to the State of the Union address, but understandably, they have chosen to stay home as they grieve the loss of their daughter,’ Collins posted to X on Wednesday.
‘Therefore, the seat reserved for my guest will remain vacant to honor Laken and all American victims of illegal alien crime.’
‘As Joe Biden attempts to paint a rosy picture of the crime-ridden country he has created, he will look up at an empty seat that memorializes those we’ve lost because of his open border policies,’ he added.
Jose was arrested at his apartment complex near the running trail close to where Riley’s body was found on February 22.
He is accused of using an unknown object to kill Riley and preventing her from making a 911 call when he allegedly grabbed her between 9am and 1pm on the day of her murder.
Riley’s body was found the same day on the University of Georgia campus in a forested area near Lake Herrick that includes trails popular with runners and walkers.
Police said Riley died from ‘blunt force trauma’ after being beaten and that she suffered a ‘disfigured skull‘.
They added Jose dragged her body to a secluded area to conceal the death, according to an arrest affidavit seen by CBS News. 
Riley had been out jogging on the University of Georgia campus when she was attacked. Police said Riley died from ‘blunt force trauma’ after being beaten and that she suffered a ‘ disfigured skull ‘Casket of Laken Riley gets carried out after funeral in Woodstock
A funeral for Riley was held on Friday as her family and friends gathered at Woodstock City Church outside of Atlanta, Georgia to say their final goodbyes
Neighbors of the Venezuelan migrant have since said that he would watch the running path all day long and that he was seen on security cameras throwing out bloody clothes on the day of the attack.
‘He took all of the evidence. He’s on camera with his bloody clothes in a bag,’ one neighbor said.
She added that she had seen Riley cut through the complex before to get to the running path and claimed Ibarra had likely seen the student before because he would sit outside all day long.
The 26-year-old crossed into El Paso, Texas, in September 2022 but had been released from a detention center due to a lack of space.
He was charged in Riley’s killing with felony murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping and concealing the death of another.
A funeral for Riley was held on Friday as her family and friends gathered at Woodstock City Church outside of Atlanta, Georgia to say their final goodbyes.
Hundreds of mourners lined up on Friday outside the church in the pouring rain to pay their final respects to Riley. A long line formed outside the visitation, where a slideshow of photos played on TV screens inside the large church’s auditorium.
Some people dabbed away tears as they passed by the casket, which was at the front of the auditorium and flanked by photos of Riley and flower bouquets.