Friends and family are to gather together later this afternoon to remember nursing student Laken Riley, who was murdered last week while out jogging.
The visitation for the late 22-year-old will take place from noon until 2pm at Woodstock City Church outside of Atlanta, Georgia.
Riley’s funeral service will take place at the same church, while a vigil will be held on the grounds of the University of Georgia campus, where she studied.
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.
Friends and family members started gathering at the church outside of Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday
Mourners arrived at the Church on Friday during a torrential downpour to pay tribute to Riley
Memorial red, black and white bows were placed in front of the church prior to the service
An online obituary for Riley said she ‘loved nursing and caring for others’ and added that her smile was ‘extremely infectious’ and she spread joy everywhere she went.
In a statement, Riley’s mother Allyson Phillips and John Phillips said their daughter ‘will be missed every day’.
The couple said: ‘Laken was an amazing daughter, sister, friend and overall person in general.
‘Her love for the Lord was exemplified in every aspect of her life. She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life moving forward in a very big way.’
Woodstock City Church Pastor Samer Massad said Riley was a person ‘whose light consistently shined so bright.
He told Fox News: ‘Laken was special. She was a gift to anyone who knew her. Smart, kind, compassionate, and thoughtful don’t even begin to scratch the surface.
‘She was a loving daughter, sister, and friend. She had a gift for making anyone she was around feel comfortable and seen.
We will miss her dearly. Laken’s family is family to us, and as their church family, we here at Woodstock City Church are committed to walking alongside them and carrying this burden with them.’
Riley had gone for a jog last Thursday and was later discovered dead in a wooded area near the University Campus in Athens, Georgia.
The visitation for the late 22-year-old will take place from noon until 2pm followed by her funeral service at Woodstock City Church outside of Atlanta, Georgia
The visitation for the late 22-year-old will take place from noon until 2pm at Woodstock City Church outside of Atlanta, Georgia
Woodstock City Church Pastor Samer Massad said Riley was a person ‘whose light consistently shined so bright
Local police and the sheriff’s department were also in attendance at the service on Friday
Riley was reported missing after he concerned roommate told police she had not returned from a jog.
She was killed by ‘blunt force trauma,’ police confirmed and suffered a ‘disfigured skull’ after being beaten with a mystery object.
Last Friday, Jose Antonio Ibarra was arrested for the murder of Riley and appeared in court where he was formally charged with murder.
Ibarra appeared in court on Saturday where he was formally charged with felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, kidnapping and other counts. He was represented by public defenders and remained in custody.
The 26-year-old was also charged with aggravated battery, aggravated assault, kidnapping and other counts.
Ibarra had crossed into El Paso, Texas, in September 2022 but had been released from a detention center due to a lack of space.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement said on Sunday he had previously been arrested in NYC for endangering the welfare of a child.
Prior to his arrest by the NYPD, Ibarra had posted pictures to social media of him touring the sights of the Big Apple.
Officers Ibarra dragged her body to secluded area to conceal the death, according to an arrest affidavit seen by CBS.
Riley was found dead Thursday afternoon after her roommate reported her missing, saying she had not returned from her jog
Police say he dragged her body to a secluded area in the UGA camppus to conceal the death
Officials have confirmed that Ibarra is not a US citizen and did not know or have any kind of relationship with Riley
Jose Antonio Ibarra was arrested for the murder of Riley and appeared in court last Saturday where he was formally charged with murder
Ibarra was arrested for Riley’s murder on Friday, just a day after her remains were found on the Athens campus
Ibarra is accused of ‘seriously disfiguring Riley’s body by disfiguring her skull,’ and is also charged with preventing Riley from making a 911 call when he allegedly grabbed her between 9am and 1pm Thursday
Riley’s body was found the same day on campus in a forested area near Lake Herrick that includes trails popular with runners and walkers.
Following the news last week that Ibarra was an illegal immigrant, former President Donald Trump blamed President Joe Biden for the murder.
Trump pointed to Biden’s lax policies at the southern border regarding influxes in illegal migration.
The latest bolsters claims from Republicans that with such a large flow of migration over the border, it’s impossible to know for sure who is being let in the country.
Speaking at the Southern Border in Texas on Thursday, Trump continued to condemn President Biden and blamed him directly for the death.
Joe Biden will never say Laken Riley’s name, but we will say it, and we will remember it,’ Trump said. ‘We’re not going to forget her.’
The former president spoke how the ‘beautiful young woman’ was ‘kidnapped and savagely murdered’ by an illegal immigrant while she was out jogging.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to be made to a foundation they plan to establish in her memory, that will focus on homicide awareness and safety.
The fundraiser has already raised over $177,000, well over its original target of $35,000.