Current:Home > reviewsA woman was found dead on the University of Georgia campus after she failed to return from a run -WealthRise Academy
A woman was found dead on the University of Georgia campus after she failed to return from a run
View
Date:2025-04-11 13:48:29
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — A woman found dead on the University of Georgia campus was a student at a nearby nursing school, said authorities, who were checking security cameras and advising students to travel in groups and avoid the wooded area where her body was found.
Police do not have a suspect, University of Georgia Police Chief Jeff Clark said at a news conference late Thursday. University spokesperson Cole Sosebee confirmed on Friday that the victim’s name is Laken Hope Riley.
The woman was found Thursday afternoon after a friend told police she had not returned from a morning run, authorities said. She was unconscious and had “visible injuries” when officers found her, Clark said.
“When you have a suspect that’s on the loose, there’s always a danger but there’s no immediate danger at this time,” Clark said.
Riley was a student at the Augusta University College of Nursing’s Athens campus, the school said in a statement. Foul play in suspected, school officials said.
Officers searching the area found the woman’s body in a forested area behind Lake Herrick. That area is across a busy road from a large dorm and dining hall complex on what’s commonly called “East Campus.” Most of the students in those dorms are freshmen.
Clark said his department, along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, were conducting the investigation. He noted that there has not been a homicide on campus in the last 20 years.
“We’re not going to leave any rock unturned in this investigation,” he said.
The University of Georgia canceled classes Friday. Augusta University canceled classes at its Athens campus but said it will remain open as a gathering place for students, faculty and staff.
The death “hits a little too close to home,” said Veronica Bennett, the mother of a University of Georgia student. She’s part of a group of moms pushing for security improvements on campus that go beyond the school’s safety app, WSB-TV reported.
“As a parent, I get tired of that being UGA’s go-to. Oh, we have the safety app. Well, the safety app is not much of a deterrent,” Bennett told the Atlanta TV station.
veryGood! (425)
Related
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- Bowen Yang Apologizes to Ariana Grande for Being Over Eager About SNL Kiss
- West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice appoints wife Cathy to state education board after U.S. Senate win
- Jeopardy! Contestant Speaks Out on Sexist Clue After Ken Jennings' Apology
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Roland Quisenberry: The Incubator for Future Financial Leaders
- In Portland, Oregon, political outsider Keith Wilson elected mayor after homelessness-focused race
- Cillian Murphy takes on Catholic Church secrets in new movie 'Small Things Like These'
- John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
- Dexter Quisenberry Fuels an Educational Ecosystem, Pioneering a New Era of Smart Education
Ranking
- Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams
- Roland Quisenberryn: WH Alliance’s Breakthrough from Quantitative Trading to AI
- Every Time Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Channeled Their Wicked Characters in Real Life
- Jewish students attacked at DePaul University in Chicago while showing support for Israel
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- Rioters who stormed Capitol after Trump’s 2020 defeat toast his White House return
- Kate Spade x M&M's: Shop This Iconic Holiday Collection & Save Up to 40% on Bags, Shoes & More
- Jeopardy! Contestant Speaks Out on Sexist Clue After Ken Jennings' Apology
Recommendation
Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
Gypsy Rose Blanchard posts paternity test results to quell rumors surrounding pregnancy
Republican Jeff Hurd wins Colorado US House seat in Lauren Boebert’s old district
Wild winds fuel Southern California wildfire that has forced thousands to evacuate
Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
A murder trial is closing in the killings of two teenage girls in Delphi, Indiana
Spread Christmas Cheer With These Elf-Inspired Gifts That’ll Have Fans Singing Loud for All To Hear
She was found dead by hikers in 1994. Her suspected killer was identified 30 years later.