Neighbors say Venezuelan migrant accused of Laken Riley's brutal murder on UGA campus sat outside and watched her running path 'all day long' - and 'was caught on camera dumping bloody clothes in trash can'

Neighbors of the Venezuelan migrant accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley claimed he would watch the running path all day long and that he was seen on security cameras throwing out bloody clothes on the day of the attack.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, was arrested at his apartment complex near the running trail close to where Riley's body was found last week.

Residents of the complex told NewsNation's Alex Caprariello that their security cameras captured Ibarra disposing of evidence in the building's dumpster, which they turned over to police.

'He took all of the evidence. He's on camera with his bloody clothes in a bag,' one neighbor said.

She added that she had seen Riley cut through the complex before to get to the running path and claimed Ibarra had likely seen the student before because he would sit outside all day long.

Laken Riley, 22, had been out jogging on the University of Georgia campus when she was attacked

Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, was arrested at his apartment complex near the running trail close to where Riley's body was found

Neighbors of the Venezuelan migrant said he would watching the running path all day long and their security cameras caught him throwing out bloody clothes on the day of the attack

'He was out here all hours of the night and day,' the neighbor said.

The complex is a former hotel converted into studio apartments and Ibarra is said to have lived in one unit with four or five other migrants.

The 26-year-old has been charged in Riley's killing with felony murder, false imprisonment, kidnapping and concealing the death of another.

Ibarra is accused of using an unknown object as a weapon to kill the 22-year-old Augusta University student and preventing her from making a 911 call when he allegedly grabbed her between 9am and 1pm on Thursday February 22.

Riley's body was found the same day on the University of Georgia campus in a forested area near Lake Herrick that includes trails popular with runners and walkers. The student had been out jogging when she was allegedly attacked by Ibarra.

Police said Riley died from 'blunt force trauma' after being beaten and that she suffered a 'disfigured skull'. 

They added that Ibarra dragged her body to a secluded area to conceal the death, according to an arrest affidavit seen by CBS News.

Ibarra is accused of using a mystery object as a weapon to kill the 22-year-old Augusta University student and preventing her from making a 911 call when he allegedly grabbed her between 9am and 1pm on Thursday

Riley's body was found the same day on campus in a forested area near Lake Herrick that includes trails popular with runners and walkers

Local police said Friday that Ibarra, who lived in Athens, apparently did not know Riley and acted alone. Video from campus security and other technology led officials to Ibarra.

The day of the murder, her suspected killer uploaded a selfie onto his TikTok account in which he stared into the camera and grinned.

Five months before Riley's murder, Ibarra was arrested in New York City and charged 'with acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation,' according to ICE.

The NYPD released him 'before a detainer could be issued,' the agency said.

The 26-year-old crossed into El Paso, Texas, in September 2022 but had been released from a detention center due to a lack of space.

Riley studied at the University of Georgia through the spring of 2023 before transferring to Augusta University’s College of Nursing, according to a statement from the University of Georgia, which does not have a nursing program itself. She remained active in the sorority she joined at the University of Georgia.

Riley's roommate Connolly Huth shared a heartbreaking tribute to her former roommate, describing her as a 'perfect, beautiful, smart, kind and driven human'.

Riley's roommate Connolly Huth shared a heartbreaking tribute to her former roommate , describing her as a 'perfect, beautiful, smart, kind and driven human'

Riley studied at the University of Georgia through the spring of 2023 before transferring to Augusta University’s College of Nursing

Huth (right) said: 'I will forever be proud to have called you my bestest friend and roommate. I love you to the moon and back, and I can’t wait to see you when I get up there'

Alongside the touching memorial, Huth shared a series of videos of her and Riley on social media showing the pair running, dancing, and laughing together.

One of the clips shows Riley and Huth dancing down a street together before the pair burst into laughter. 

Huth wrote: 'Never in a million years did I think I would be writing something like this and I am still waiting to wake up from this terrible nightmare.'

'I’m not sure how I will continue this life without you by my side, but what I do know is I will run that 26.2 in your honor and let everyone know of the perfect, beautiful, hilarious, smart, kind, and driven human that Laken Riley was.

'I will forever be proud to have called you my bestest friend and roommate. I love you to the moon and back, and I can’t wait to see you when I get up there.'