The White House breaks its silence on the murder of nursing student Laken Riley, whose suspect is an illegal Venezuelan immigrant

The White House finally issued a statement regarding the murder of nursing student Laken Riley, who died on the University of Georgia (UGA) campus in Athens, allegedly at the hands of an undocumented immigrant.

Without giving further details, a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital that people who are found guilty must pay the consequences to the fullest extent of the law.

"We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Laken Hope Riley," the White House said. "People should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law if they are found to be guilty. Given this is an active case, we would have to refer you to state law enforcement and ICE."

José Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan immigrant, was formally charged by authorities with Riley's homicide.

UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark announced Ibarra's arrest on February 23. He faces eight charges in relation to the crime, including charges of intentional homicide, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another person.

Riley was murdered while she was out for a run on Thursday morning and was found by authorities after her teammates reported that she never returned from her exercise routine.

Clark said during a news conference Friday that the student died from blunt force trauma to the head.

In its report, Fox News Digital reported that Ibarra illegally crossed the border between the United States and Mexico in El Paso, Texas, in September 2022.

The Venezuelan was granted parole to remain in the United States since then.

Crossing the border, he headed to New York City, where he lived for a time with his wife, and then moved to Georgia, where he lived for months on the edge of the UGA campus.

ICE confirmed to the media that Ibarra had been found by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on September 8, 2022. Likewise, the agency also confirmed that the Venezuelan immigrant had been arrested by the New York Police Department a year later, in September 2023, "charged with acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation."

In addition, José Antonio Ibarra's older brother, Diego Ibarra, also Venezuelan, was accused of fraud for presenting false papers and could face ten years in prison, according to the Department of Justice.

After submitting false documentation, UGA briefly hired the elder Ibarra brother as a dishwasher. He has since been fired.