Last Wednesday, Jose Ibarra (26) was found guilty of all charges of malice and felony murder of Laken Riley, a 22-year old Augusta University Nursing Student. Riley was on a run on the University of Georgia campus when this tragedy occurred. She was found dead on Feb. 22, 2024, but the timeline of her death, and Ibarra’s charges, have not been revealed until recently.
Riley’s death was shocking and sudden to her family and runners across America. Riley had her phone with her and used iPhone’s “SOS” feature to call 911 twice. She had also worn a watch tracking her location in addition to giving her close family her whereabouts.
As Riley’s story gained more attention, community members and runners began to mourn her death, urging those who go on runs to be cautious and safe.
Senior LFHS Girls Varsity Cross Country and Track runner, Gabby Heintzelman, shared her disappointment, as well as her future caution, regarding running safety.
“This incident unfortunately shows us how dangerous it can be to run by yourself, especially as a woman. You can never be too cautious when out for a run, especially by yourself,” said Heintzelman. “I can’t express enough how important it is to never wear earbuds when running. You must be aware of your surroundings so, if you want to play music, play it out of your phone speaker.”
LFHS teacher, runner and past Girls Cross Country coach for Sterling High School, Cheryl Kyrias, is also cautious when running alone, giving a different perspective than Heintzelman.
“Since there have been more of those cases as of recently, I don’t run at night anymore. When I was younger, I used to run outside by myself in the dark, but now I don’t. I bought a treadmill and, if it’s dark outside, no matter where I am in the world, I will not run outside by myself,” said Kyrias. “With the increasing number of attacks, I just don’t think it’s safe. Even in daylight, it isn’t always safe. When I run, I always bring my phone with me. I also use headphones that are not noise cancelling so I can still be aware of my surroundings.”
Riley’s death has not only sparked caution among LFHS students but also a deep sense of fear. Senior Girls Varsity Cross Country and Track, Megan Lawniczack, shared her alarm.
“It’s heartbreaking to hear that this is happening, especially as a runner. Over the summer, I would run a lot by myself but now, knowing that she [Riley] did everything she was supposed to do to be safe– yet she was still attacked and killed–makes me nervous to continue running alone,” said Lawniczack. “It’s pretty upsetting to feel like I’m unable to just go outside and run.”
Sophomore Girls Varsity Cross Country and Track runner, Emma Legrand, also expressed her fear.
“Riley did everything she could to keep herself safe: she ran in daylight, went on a crowded trail and told people where she was. It’s scary to think that even that isn’t enough anymore,” said Legrand.
This fear and caution has not only stemmed from the attention brought up by Laken Riley’s case, but also from the present day increase of attacks on women runners.
According to Phys.Org News, a study done by Dr. Caroline Miles and Professor Rose Broad from The University of Manchester found that two-thirds of women have been abused while running in Manchester, England– whether it be threats or verbal abuse.
These events have impacted Kyrias and altered how she used to run.
“Back in my 20s when I would run in Chicago, sometimes I would run with my key in my hand in case I would need to use it to deter an attacker. But, I don’t do that anymore. If I feel unsafe, I just run inside. It’s really sad but, unfortunately, that’s where we are,” said Kyrias.
