Helicopter, K-9 unit used in search of peeping tom at student housing complex

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By Joe Johnson

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department recently used a helicopter and K-9 unit to search for a peeping tom suspect at an off campus student housing complex.

The intensive search earlier this month was conducted a year and a half after nursing student Laken Riley was murdered by a peeping tom on the University of Georgia campus.

She was killed during a sexual assault on a UGA running trail in February 2024 and during the investigation police discovered that only hours before committing the murder, Jose Ibarra had been peeking into windows at the University Village family housing complex on Rogers Road.

This recent peeping tom incident was at The Retreat apartment complex on South Milledge Avenue.

A police K-9 unit was used for the search as was a Georgia State Patrol helicopter.

The suspect was not located.

The amount of law enforcement resources used was unprecedented for the search of such a omisdemeanor offender.