Current:Home > FinanceA woman was found dead on the University of Georgia campus after she failed to return from a run -EquityZone
A woman was found dead on the University of Georgia campus after she failed to return from a run
View
Date:2025-04-16 03:13:36
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! (728)
Related
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- 2024 Emmys: How Abbott Elementary Star Sheryl Lee Ralph's Daughter Helped With Red Carpet Look
- Long before gay marriage was popular, Kamala Harris was at the forefront of the equal rights battle
- 2024 Emmys: Saoirse Ronan and Jack Lowden Make Red Carpet Debut as Married Couple
- A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
- 2024 Emmys: Watch Ayo Edebiri Flawlessly Deliver Viral TikTok Sound
- Mike Lindell's company MyPillow sued by DHL over $800,000 in allegedly unpaid bills
- NASCAR Watkins Glen live updates: How to watch Sunday's Cup Series playoff race
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Officer involved in Tyreek Hill traffic stop has history of complaints over use of force
Ranking
- Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
- 'The Bear' star Liza Colón-Zayas takes home historic Emmys win, urges Latinas to 'keep believing'
- Quinn Ewers injury update: Texas football QB enters locker room, Arch Manning steps in
- John Oliver Curses Out Emmy Awards on Live TV While Paying Tribute to Dead Dog
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- 'Far too brief': Ballerina Michaela DePrince, who danced for Beyoncé, dies at age 29
- 2024 Emmys: Why Gillian Anderson and Peter Morgan Are Fueling Reconciliation Rumors
- Americans end drought, capture 2024 Solheim Cup for first win in 7 years
Recommendation
Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
2024 Emmys: Why Fans Aren't Happy With Jimmy Kimmel's Bob Newhart In Memoriam Tribute
2024 Emmys: Dan Levy Reveals Eugene Levy Missed Out on This Massive TV Role
2024 Emmy winners and presenters couldn't keep their paws off political cat jokes
Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
2024 Emmys Fans Outraged After Shelley Duvall Left Out of In Memoriam Segment
Ahmaud Arbery’s family is still waiting for ex-prosecutor’s misconduct trial after 3 years
Donald Trump Declares I Hate Taylor Swift After She Endorses Kamala Harris