Laken Riley murder suspect’s brother fired from UGA dining hall job after presenting fake green card

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ATHENS, Ga. — The brother of Jose Ibarra, suspected in the Thursday murder of Augusta University student Laken Riley, has been fired from the University of Georgia after he presented a fake green card to work at the school’s dining hall.

“Diego Ibarra presented a fake green card to the hiring unit to begin a temporary position as a dishwasher in Bolton Dining Hall at the University of Georgia on Feb. 6, 2024,” UGA spokesperson Greg Trevor told Fox News Digital in a statement.

Ibarra then failed to “submit further documentation required to keep the job and was never paid by the University” before he was “fired,” Trevor added.

A neighbor told Fox News Digital that Diego Ibarra told them he worked at the UGA dining hall. That neighbor said he and his brother had been living at their apartment in Athens for “about six months.”

GEORGIA MURDER SUSPECT CONFIRMED TO BE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT

Diego Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, allegedly handed over a fake green card to police on the hunt for his brother Jose, who they accuse of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. (Clarke County Sheriff’s Office)

Diego Ibarra has been arrested and charged with green card fraud. His younger brother, Jose, is charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another in connection with the homicide of 22-year-old Riley, a nursing student.

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA POLICE QUESTIONING ‘PERSON OF INTEREST’ IN LAKEN RILEY HOMICIDE

Jose Ibarra, who was originally taken into custody on Friday by the UGA Police Department in connection with Riley’s death, is now not believed to have had a connection to the victim. (Clarke County Sheriff’s Office)

Jose Ibarra is accused of killing Riley while she was jogging along a popular pedestrian loop around Lake Herrick on UGA’s campus in Athens on Thursday morning. 

GEORGIA NURSING STUDENT FOUND DEAD ON UGA CAMPUS IDENTIFIED AS LAKEN RILEY

Laken Riley poses for a photo posted to Facebook. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Thursday. (Allyson Phillips/Facebook)

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The two brothers from Venezuela were living in the United States illegally. They crossed into the United States from El Paso, Texas, in September 2022.

Fox News’ Michael Ruiz and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business. Email tips to audrey.conklin@fox.com or on Twitter at @audpants.