Laken Riley: Jose Ibarra sentenced to life in prison for murder of US nursing student

Ibarra’s lawyers had argued that the evidence linking him to Ms. Riley’s death was “circumstantial.”

Ms. Riley, who lived in Athens, Georgia, was found dead in the woods of the UGA campus after she did not return from her morning run.

Ibarra was arrested a day later.

He was found guilty Wednesday on all 10 counts, including felony murder, kidnapping with bodily injury and aggravated assault with intent to commit rape.

Ibarra had waived his right to a jury trial; This meant that his case would be heard and decided by District Judge H Patrick Haggard.

At the request of prosecutors, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Prosecutors told the court that Ibarra saw Riley running across the UGA campus and “hit him in the skull with a rock.”

The hearing heard data from Ms Riley’s smartwatch showed she was “fighting for her life, fighting for her dignity” just minutes after she started running.

The attorney general said the victim’s struggle was “violent”. Ms Riley called the police at 9:11 that morning and at 9:28 she went into cardiac arrest as there was no activity on her device.

Ibarra’s lawyer argued there was a lack of evidence linking his client to Ms. Riley’s death.

But prosecutors said evidence showed Ibarra’s DNA was found under Ms. Riley’s fingernails, indicating a struggle between them.

The trial, which began last Friday, included testimony from more than a dozen law enforcement officers, Ms. Riley’s former roommate and a woman who lived in the same apartment as Ibarra.

Ibarra’s former roommate, Rosbeli Flores-Bello, testified that the two went to Georgia together from New York City, where they lived in an immigrant shelter, to look for work.

Ibarra entered the United States illegally on September 8, 2022, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He was later released pending further proceedings.

ICE said Ibarra was arrested in New York in September 2023 and charged with “acting in a manner that injures a child under 17 and violating a motor vehicle registration.”

ICE officials said he was released by the NYPD.

As border security has emerged as a defining issue in the race for the White House, Ms. Riley’s name has become a slogan for conservatives.

In March, Democratic President Joe Biden was pressed about the woman’s murder during his State of the Union address to Congress.

Republican lawmakers said it was the White House’s fault that Ibarra was able to stay in the country despite his criminal record.

President-elect Republican Donald Trump frequently mentioned Ms. Riley’s name during the campaign.

Trump reacted to Ibarra’s guilty verdict, writing on Truth Social that he hoped the outcome of the case “could bring some peace and closure to his wonderful family fighting for justice.”

“It’s time to protect our border,” Trump said.

National Institute of Justice , externalResearch shows that undocumented immigrants in the United States are arrested for violent and drug crimes at less than half the rate of native-born citizens.