Current:Home > ScamsA woman was found dead on the University of Georgia campus after she failed to return from a run -ThriveEdge Finance
A woman was found dead on the University of Georgia campus after she failed to return from a run
View
Date:2025-04-14 19:33:08
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! (8)
Related
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Wendy Williams, like Bruce Willis, has aphasia, frontotemporal dementia. What to know.
- Cellphone data cited in court filing raises questions about testimony on Fani Willis relationship
- Yankees' Alex Verdugo responds to scorching comments from ex-Red Sox star Jonathan Papelbon
- Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
- Toyota recalls 280,000 Tundras, other vehicles over transmission issue
- Bachelor Nation’s Jared Haibon and Pregnant Ashley Iaconetti Reveal Sex of Baby No. 2
- Trump’s lawyers seek to suspend $83M defamation verdict, citing ‘strong probability’ it won’t stand
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- US investigators provide data on the helicopter crash that killed 6, including a Nigerian bank CEO
Ranking
- Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
- 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star Porsha Williams files for divorce from Simon Guobadia
- Malia Obama Isn't the Only One With a Stage Name—Check Out These Stars' Real Names
- Lulus’ Buy 3-Get-1 Free Sale Includes Elegant & Stylish Dresses, Starting at $15
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Proof Kris Jenner Is Keeping Up With Katy Perry and Taylor Swift’s Reunion
- Louisiana advances a bill expanding death penalty methods in an effort to resume executions
- 1 dead, 3 injured following a fire at a Massachusetts house
Recommendation
Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
Lucky the horse lives up to name after being rescued from Los Angeles sinkhole
Judge throws out Chicago ballot measure that would fund services for homeless people
Wendy Williams, like Bruce Willis, has aphasia, frontotemporal dementia. What to know.
Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he's chasing one last high
Small, nonthreatening balloon intercepted over Utah by NORAD
Despite a Big Budget Shortfall, Moore Commits $90 Million to Help Maryland Cut Emissions.
Man charged with killing Indianapolis police officer found guilty but mentally ill