Migrant accused of killing Laken Riley has another brother who was arrested illegally crossing border with gang-affiliated sibling
A second brother of the Venezuelan migrant charged in the brutal murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley was arrested after crossing the border illegally last year, it has been revealed.
Argeinis Ibarra, the 24-year-old brother of accused killer Jose Ibarra, was nabbed by Border Patrol on April 30, 2023, while trying to sneak across the besieged southern border into El Paso, Texas, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
He was apprehended with his older brother, Diego, 29, who is now known to have ties to the dangerous Tren de Aragua gang in Venezuela. The pair had previously tried to enter the United States on April 3, 2023, near Eagle Pass, Texas, but were returned by Border Patrol that same day.
Border officials quickly released Argeinis from custody with instructions to appear in court on May 4, 2023, the outlet reported. The court date was later rescheduled for 2024 in Philadelphia, where he said he had relatives and planned to live.
The middle Ibarra brother, Jose, 26, was arrested last month for allegedly kidnapping and killing Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta University junior and dean’s list student.
Her lifeless body was found on the University of Georgia’s campus after she never returned from a run, in a case that has shocked the nation.
Jose is also listed as part of the deadly Tren de Aragua gang on internal Department of Homeland Security documents seen by The Post.
The accused murderer was first arrested in El Paso, Texas for illegally crossing into the US in September 2022 with his girlfriend at the time, Layling Franco, and her 5-year-old son.
However, after less than 24 hours in custody, he was released on parole due to lack of detention capacity and told to report to authorities in October 2024, according to ICE insiders.
Jose made his way to the Big Apple, where he was arrested by the NYPD in August 2023 and charged with riding a gas-powered moped with Franco’s son on the back without any head protection or restraint for the child.
He was ultimately released by the NYPD and fled to Georgia to be with his gang-tied brother Diego, who had cut off his ankle monitor to evade authorities after being released into the country.
In September, cops arrest Diego for driving under the influence and driving without a license. Both Diego and Jose were then arrested a month later for stealing from a Walmart store.
On February 22, 2024, Riley fails to return home after going for a run near her campus.
Jose was arrested and charged a day later with concealing the death of another, false imprisonment, felony murder, malice murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery in connection with the death of Riley.
Diego was also arrested that same day after handing police a fake green card. He faces up to 10 years in prison for using a false federal ID.
