Laken Riley killer's second brother identified as gang member

The suspect in the murder of Georgia-based Laken Riley shows that the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is a family affair.

Both brothers of 26-year-old Venezuelan migrant Jose Ibarra are now suspected of being part of the imported prison gang that is wreaking havoc across the United States, Department of Homeland Security sources told the Washington Post.

Argenis Ibarra, 24, is the last brother identified as a member of the Tren de Aragua, the sources said.

According to sources, DHS identified Argenis as an active member of the Tren de Aragua in June. He is currently being held by U.S. Marshals awaiting the outcome of fraud charges.

Tren de Aragua uses the southern border to bring members into the United States and recruits for its criminal activities in safe cities across the country, including New York City, where the group is reportedly involved in arms smuggling, robberies and attacks on police officers.

The Post first identified Laken Riley suspect Jose Ibarra as a member of the gang after his arrest on Feb. 23.

He is accused of attacking and killing the 22-year-old student as she walked along the dirt roads surrounding the University of Georgia in Athens.

He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to appear in court on November 18.

Authorities confirmed to The Post that Diego Ibarra, 29, Jose's older brother, is a member of the gang after he was arrested for carrying a fake green card, which he allegedly used to get a job at the University of Georgia.

Jose is also accused of spying on a University of Georgia employee on the day of the murder.

The prosecution is demanding a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Diego was arrested after being stopped by police officers searching for his brother following the murder.

Diego has tattoos related to the Tren de Aragua, including a “five-pointed crown on the left side of his neck and a five-pointed star on the right side of his neck,” a police report said.

Authorities said his social media also included photos of him posing with weapons and making gang signs.

He was charged with two counts of possession of a forged document, to which he pleaded guilty last month.

The number of cases that federal authorities are investigating related to Tren de Aragua is more than “overwhelming,” a source told the Post.

Local and federal law enforcement agencies across the country received warnings last week that the gang had given its members the “green light” to shoot police officers.

“They have been involved in multiple crimes. We remind officers to have zero tolerance when they encounter them,” an El Paso law enforcement source told The Post.

“They are a repeat of when MS-13 started here,” the source said, adding that the gang commits burglaries and card skimming near the border but then usually moves on to larger cities.

When he was caught on February 23, he allegedly had a fake green card and social security card.

Riley's killing sparked nationwide anger over the rise in illegal immigration at the southern border.

The three alleged gang brothers all entered the United States across the border to El Paso, Texas, but at different times.

Jose entered El Paso illegally on September 8, 2022, accompanied by his girlfriend and her five-year-old son.

According to sources, he was released soon after due to lack of prison capacity.

Argenis first entered the United States on April 3, 2023, crossing the border at Eagle Pass, Texas, but was turned back to Mexico under Title 42, the Trump-era COVID expulsion order, according to sources.

Diego crossed Eagle Pass the same day and was also deported to Mexico.

However, both crossed the border again in the El Paso area less than a month later and were released.

Diego was released after allegedly assaulting a border guard. Sources said he was not prosecuted for the attack because he claimed to be suffering from “epilepsy,” according to authorities.

According to sources, Argenis failed to attend required Department of Homeland Security visits while in the United States, and his application for a work permit was denied.

According to sources, the three brothers met in Athens, Georgia in November 2023.