Laken Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was discovered dead on campus.

Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University, was found dead on the University of Georgia's campus on Thursday.

Laken Riley, a junior and Dean's List student at Augusta University, studied at the Athens campus.

Laken Riley's death in the woods behind Lake Herrick was confirmed by UGA on Friday, with the school stating that they were able to notify the victim's family.

Laken was a student at UGA during Spring Semester 2023 before transferring to the Augusta University College of Nursing program in Athens, where she is currently enrolled.

Riley was discovered dead with visible injuries in a wooded area near Lake Herrick at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, following a friend's report that she had gone for a run and not returned.

Anyone who witnessed anything "relevant or suspicious" near UGA's Intramural Fields between 7 a.m. and noon on Thursday is requested to contact campus police at 706-542-2200.

"According to Georgia criminal defense attorney Philip Holloway, it will likely be a brief time before a suspect is found, and he believes it's possible that this may be a criminal homicide, as reported by Planet Chronicle Digital."

As of Friday morning, the investigation into the student's death at UGA is ongoing. Meanwhile, classes at UGA and Augusta University College of Nursing campus in Athens were canceled on Friday.

The Holloway Law Group founder stated that authorities will most likely establish a "geofence" around the crime scene to track who entered and exited the Lake Herrick area using cellphone tower data. However, it is important to note that AT&T experienced a nationwide outage on Thursday, affecting customers in the southeast.

The criminal defense attorney described Athens as a "typical college town."

UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark stated during a Thursday evening press conference that the last time UGA reported a homicide on campus was 20 years ago and there was not "immediate danger" on campus.

Holloway stated that sources in the area are considering the possibility that this may be related to past cases of assaults against women in UGA's intramural fields.

Federal authorities said they were ready to help as necessary.

"The FBI in Atlanta is aware of the death at the University of Georgia and is in contact with law enforcement partners. If assistance is needed, the FBI is prepared to help."

UGA's campus includes Lake Herrick, which is situated between several university practice fields and Oconee Forest Park. The lake is surrounded by a pedestrian trail and features a recreational beach. Authorities are requesting that the public stay away from the area while they conduct an investigation.

A spokesperson from the University of Augusta confirmed to Planet Chronicle Digital that the student's death took place on the UGA campus.

"One of our students at our College of Nursing campus at Athens has passed away, and it is with deepest sorrow that I share this news with you. Police suspect foul play, and the receipt of this news this afternoon was shocking to all of us. Augusta University President Brooks A. Keel made the statement."

As of Friday, no suspects have been identified in the investigation of foul play at UGA.

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In a statement on Thursday evening, Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz expressed his sympathy and referred to the death as a "murder."

"Girtz stated that the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government is deeply saddened by the murder that occurred in our city today. We pledge to work closely with UGA PD to bring this investigation to a swift conclusion and will continue to work diligently to prevent any further tragedies from occurring."

UGA police are being aided in their investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Athens Clarke-County Police Department. Those with information about the incident are encouraged to contact 706-542-2200.