Jose Antonio Ibarra convicted of murdering Georgia nursing student Laken Riley
Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life without parole in the killing of nursing student Laken Riley. The case sparked a national immigration debate in the US.
Venezuelan national sentenced to life without parole for killing of Laken Riley
Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, was convicted of murder on Wednesday in the killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, nbcnews.com reports. Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard handed down the verdict on the fourth day of a bench trial, sentencing Ibarra to life in prison without the possibility of parole — consistent with what prosecutors had requested.
Ibarra was found guilty on three counts of felony murder, as well as malice murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and a "peeping Tom" charge. He had waived his right to a jury trial and did not testify in his own defence.
Haggard delivered the verdict after a 20-minute recess following closing arguments. Sobbing was audible in the courtroom as the judge spoke. Riley's parents, sister, stepfather, roommates and friends each delivered victim impact statements before Ibarra was sentenced.
Riley's mother, Allyson Phillips, wept as she read her statement, saying Ibarra had "robbed us all of our hopes and dreams with Laken."
"This monster took away our chances to see Laken graduate from nursing school," Phillips said through tears. "He took away our ability to meet our future son-in-law. He destroyed our chances of meeting our grandchildren, and he took my best friend."
Phillips urged the judge to impose a sentence of life without parole "so that he never gets the chance to hurt anyone else ever again."
What prosecutors argued
According to prosecutors, Ibarra confronted Riley on the morning of 22 February while she was out running near the University of Georgia campus in Athens. Her roommates called police after she did not return home; her body was later discovered in a forested area off campus.
Prosecutor Sheila Ross told the judge during closing arguments that Riley "herself has given you all the evidence you need alone to find this man guilty of every single count in this indictment." Prosecutors argued Ibarra killed Riley after she resisted his attempt to rape her, and that DNA and other physical evidence linked him to the victim on the day she died.
Ross said Riley's resistance was precisely what generated the physical evidence: "It is a direct result of that fight that gives you all the physical evidence you need to convict."
Defence: alternative suspects not ruled out
Defence attorneys did not dispute that Riley had been murdered but argued the evidence fell short of establishing Ibarra's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. They pointed instead to Ibarra's brother, Diego Ibarra, as a possible alternative suspect.
Defence attorney Kaitlyn Beck argued in her closing statement that two theories could not be entirely excluded: that Diego was responsible for the killing, or that "Jose was an accomplice after the fact of the murder." Beck also sought to undermine the DNA evidence by suggesting contamination was possible, noting that the two brothers shared clothing and a bed.
Case became focal point in immigration debate
Riley's killing drew widespread national attention after officials confirmed that Ibarra is a Venezuelan citizen who entered the United States illegally in 2022. Former President Donald Trump and other Republican politicians met with Riley's family ahead of a campaign rally in March, and the case became a central reference point in calls for stricter border enforcement.
After the verdict, Trump wrote on Truth Social that "although the pain and heartbreak will last forever, hopefully this can help bring some peace and closure to her wonderful family who fought for Justice." He added: "It is time to secure our Border, and remove these criminals and thugs from our Country, so nothing like this can happen again."
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said on X that while "we are glad that justice has been delivered on behalf of Laken Riley, we continue to mourn her loss with her family and friends." Kemp added that Ibarra "should never have been allowed to enter our country, and he certainly should not have been allowed to stay after shamelessly breaking our laws."
Police had previously stated there was no indication Ibarra knew Riley prior to the attack, and that he did not have a known extensive criminal background.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)