A newspaper in Atlanta is taking heat online after it described an illegal alien killer from Venezuela as an “Athens man.”
“A 26-year-old Athens man has been charged with murder in the death of a nursing student on the University of Georgia campus,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said in an X caption, linking to a news story about the arrest of Jose Antonio Ibarra stemming from Ibarra’s alleged murder of Laken Riley.
#BREAKING: A 26-year-old Athens man has been charged with murder in the death of a nursing student on the University of Georgia campus.
— Atlanta Journal-Constitution (@ajc) February 24, 2024
Several news outlets have now reported that Ibarra (pictured above), who has officially been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another, is an illegal alien from Venezuela.
Represntative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA-14) ripped the news outlet on X.
“ILLEGAL ALIEN from Venezuela that the Biden admin let in our country. NOT ‘Athens man,’” she said.
ILLEGAL ALIEN from Venezuela that the Biden admin let in our country.
NOT “Athens man” https://t.co/lYTc0IXBpg
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) February 24, 2024
“This Athens man’ entered the country illegally from Venezuela, AJC. Based on the attention this post is getting, you’re really going to want to change this portrayal,” said Fox News contributor Joe Concha.
This "Athens man" entered the country illegally from Venezuela, AJC. Based on the attention this post is getting, you're really going to want to change this portrayal. https://t.co/DjavnUn2qn
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) February 24, 2024
“’Athens man.’ An illegal from Venezuela. You people are the worst. Truly. Do you have souls?” asked Philadelphia radio personality Christ Stigall.
“Athens man.” An illegal from Venezuela. You people are the worst. Truly. Do you have souls? https://t.co/ittSDLTsdn
— Chris Stigall (@ChrisStigall) February 24, 2024
“An illegal immigrant allegedly killed a Georgia student out for a jog in Athens,” said Outkick founder Clay Travis. “That man had previously been arrested in NYC for a crime and was released. Joe Biden and Alvin Bragg’s soft on crime policies got this innocent girl killed.”
An illegal immigrant allegedly killed a Georgia student out for a jog in Athens. That man had previously been arrested in NYC for a crime and was released. Joe Biden and Alvin Bragg’s soft on crime policies got this innocent girl killed. https://t.co/0kXStlXAaQ
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) February 24, 2024
NewsNation’s Ali Bradley, citing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sources, reported that Ibarra was arrested in New York City in September 2023 for injury to a child less than 17 and driving without a license.
Hundreds of other posts on X railed on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for its characterization of Ibarra.
Riley, 22, was a nursing student at the UGA who was reportedly going for a run when she was killed. University of Georgia (UGA) Police Chief Jeffrey Clark confirmed that Riley died from “blunt force trauma.” Her body was found in a wooded area on UGA’s campus Thursday afternoon.
“The evidence is robust. It is supported by key input by the community, physical evidence and expert police work. Importantly, we were assisted by video footage from our campus security cameras network,” Clark said in the news conference, adding that there is “no indication of a continuing threat to the community related to the case at this time.”
“He did not know her at all. I think this is a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual and bad things happened,” Clark said.
No specific motive has been announced.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter/X.
