Tributes to nursing student Laken Riley, who was allegedly murdered by a Venezuelan national near the University of Georgia campus this week, poured in Saturday — as donations to create a scholarship in her honor topped $63,000.
“She always made me laugh, when we got drenched from rain on our high school Europe trip to sending AP chem notes an hour before our test. She will be truly missed,” Cameron Smith wrote of the 22-year-old.
“Laken would’ve saved so many lives as a nurse! Sincere condolences to her family and loved ones,” wrote Heather Porter.
“Laken was such a bright light to my daughter and one of her bestest friends,” Janine Schwartz wrote. “She will always be remembered as the angel she was to this world.”
Proceeds from the GoFundMe campaign, which the organizer said was to help the family with funeral expenses, establish a scholarship in her name and raise homicide awareness, brought in more than $63,000 by Saturday afternoon.
“She was a sweet and compassionate soul whose life was sadly cut short on Thursday,” the post said. “No words can express the pain and heartache that Laken’s family and friends are experiencing.”
No funeral date has been set yet, according to the page.
But the University of Georgia chapters of Alpha Chi Omega, of which Laken was an active member, and Kappa Sigma will host a vigil at 3 p.m. Monday at Tate Plaza. The campus is also mourning the loss of a freshman Kappa Sigma member; foul play is not suspected in his death. The vigil is open to the public.
“From a family of another young lady attending UGA who was walking the same trail that same morning, we cannot stop thinking about this family and imagining being the ones to receive that horrific news. With our deepest sympathy and many prayers,” a supporter wrote on GoFundMe page.
A petition has also been launched urging the installation of emergency blue lights in the woodsy area where Riley’s body was found. Emergency blue lights connect students with law enforcement without needing a phone.
UGA removed its emergency blue light phone system in 2004, according to The Red and Black, the school’s paper. UGA has been using a mobile app that serves as a digital blue light by sharing users’ locations with police.
“The lack of emergency blue lights has been an ongoing issue that can no longer be ignored,” the petition read. “We are calling upon the University of Georgia administration in Athens, GA, to take immediate action. We urge them to prioritize student safety by implementing these necessary changes swiftly and effectively.”
Follow along with The Post's coverage of Laken Riley's murder
- Laken Riley’s suspected killer, Jose Ibarra, illegally entered US in 2022 — and was cut loose due to lack of detention space: report
- Tributes to slain Ga. nursing student Laken Riley pour in as donations for scholarship in her name top $63K: ‘Would’ve saved so many lives’
- Migrant charged in death of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley slipped through law enforcement’s hands twice
- Laken Riley murder suspect Jose Ibarra lived it up in NYC after reportedly entering US illegally, social media posts appear to show
- AP slammed for framing Laken Riley’s murder on dangers ‘female athletes’ face — not on migrant crimes
- Migrant suspect in Laken Riley murder accused of ‘seriously disfiguring’ nursing student as affidavit reveals grim details in case
Riley was an undergraduate student at UGA until the spring of 2023 and later transitioned to Augusta University’s nursing program in Athens, where she made the fall 2023 dean’s list.
Police found her body on a trail near Lake Herrick hours after a friend raised the alarm hen she didn’t return from her morning run.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, who lives in Athens, was arrested Friday in connection with her murder, police said.
Ibarra crossed into El Paso, Texas, from Venezuela in September 2022, NewsNation reported Saturday, citing Department of Homeland Security sources. He is not a US citizen.
He had been released due to a lack of detention space, the sources added.
Federal officials did not respond to The Post seeking confirmation.
Ibarra’s older brother was also arrested Friday.
Diego Ibarra, 29, was charged with possessing a fake green card after he was stopped by police in connection with Riley’s ongoing murder investigation, the US Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia said.
He is now in state custody, jail records show.
