Laken Riley's devastated family break silence after she was slain while on a run at University of Georgia - remembering her as an 'amazing daughter, sister, friend' as illegal immigrant is held for her murder

The family of murdered Laken Riley have broken their silence after the University of Georgia nursing student was killed while out on a run.

Laken Riley, 22, was found dead in a wooded area near Lake Herrick on Thursday afternoon. Illegal Venezuelan immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra was charged with her murder on Friday and is being held at the Clarke County Jail.

'We wish to thank the public for their prayers and thoughts during this tragic time,' the devastated family said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

'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. 

Riley's mother Allyson Phillips shared photos and a video of Riley during the Augusta University nursing program's white coat ceremony on Facebook in August 2023

 UGA murder victim was killed by 'blunt force trauma' police investigating her death said

Allyson Phillips, Riley's mother, has posted several photos and videos over the years of the entire family 

'She will be missed every day, but we promise to honor her life moving forward in a very big way.

They added: 'During this most difficult time, we ask that you respect our privacy, and provide us the time and space necessary to grieve our daughter's life that was tragically cut short.' 

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.

'The individual was unconscious and not breathing and had visible injuries,' UGA Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark said in a statement. 

Ibarra, 26, crossed into El Paso, Texas in September 2022 but had been released from a detention center due to a lack of space, NewsNation reported.  

Now Republicans including Marjorie Taylor Greene have called for Ibarra to receive the death penalty.

'Ibarra is an illegal alien and murdered a young woman the age of my own children. Deportation is not enough. He deserves the death penalty,' the Georgia representative said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, has been identified and charged for allegedly murdering nursing student Laken Riley, 22, at the University of Georgia in Athens

 He has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another

Police search a wooded area at the University of Georgia after the shock discovery Thursday

 Officials confirmed that Ibarra is not a US citizen and did not know or have any kind of relationship with Riley

Riley, 22, was found dead Thursday afternoon after her roommate reported her missing, saying she had not returned from her jog

'You want to break in our country, ILLEGALLY, and murder one of our girls. DEATH PENALTY!' She added in another.

Ibarra has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, concealing the death of another and failure to appear for a finger printable charge.

Cops said that he did not know the victim and the crime was a 'random, solo act.'

UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark told reporters at a press conference on Thursday that officers have searched Ibarra's apartment in Athens and evidence shows that he acted alone. 

'He did not know her at all. I think this is a crime of opportunity where he saw an individual and bad things happened,' Clark said. 

'The evidence is robust. It is supported by key input by the community, physical evidence and expert police work. Importantly, we were assisted by video footage from our campus security cameras network.'

Republicans including Marjorie Taylor Greene have called for Ibarra to receive the death penalty, stating 'deportation is not enough'

Riley was a senior nursing student enrolled at Augusta University College of Nursing at Athens who grew up in Woodstock, Georgia.

Before she earned her undergraduate degree at UGA in 2023, she graduated from River Ridge High School in 2020.

Riley was a member of her high school's cross country and track teams and was described as 'an outstanding scholar athlete' by Cherokee County School District Superintendent Brian Hightower.

She was also a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.