Laken Riley murder: Defense and prosecution weigh whether suspect’s siblings can testify

ATHENS, Ga. — Defense attorneys for suspect Jose Ibarra, accused of murder Augusta University student Laken Riley Witnesses from the trial, held in February on the University of Georgia campus, will continue to come forward Wednesday, possibly including Ibarra’s two brothers.

Athens-Clarke County The court heard 29 witnesses over three days in the Ibarra murder trial, which started on November 15. Prosecutor Sheila Ross highlighted a variety of evidence, from Ibarra’s DNA on key evidence to security camera footage and cell phone data linking him to the scene of the crime. When Riley was killed.

“On February 22, Jose Ibarra wore a black hat, hoodie-style jacket, and black kitchen-style disposable gloves and went hunting for women on the University of Georgia campus,” Ross said in his opening statement on November 22. 15.

Ibarra, 26, is charged with 10 counts related to Riley’s murder and the “peeping Tom” incident on the morning of Feb. 22. Prosecutors argued that the Peeping Tom incident was related to the attack on Riley, 22, because it lasted just over an hour. He claimed that before he was killed and on the morning of February 22, Ibarra intended to prey on women.

LAKEN RILEY MURDER: While the family of the murdered UGA student sobbed in court, witnesses told about the crime scene evidence

Jose Ibarra appeared for his arraignment in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 in Athens, GA. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Magazine-AP, Constitution via Havuz)

Witnesses stated that Ibarra’s DNA matches It was found on the jacket, which contained Riley’s fingernails and hair taken from a dumpster near Riley’s apartment complex.

Ibarra’s defense attorneys have so far argued that the evidence against the Venezuelan national is circumstantial and have pointed to Jose’s brothers, Diego and Argenis Ibarra, who share similarities with Jose in their DNA makeup. Diego was also seen wearing the same black, Adidas-style hat. Jose was wearing it when police questioned Diego on Feb. 22, prosecutors said. DNA matching Riley’s was found on the same hat.

JOSE IBARRA, THE ALLEGED MURDERER OF LAKEN RILEY, FLYED TO GEORGIA FROM ‘POINT ZERO’ OF THE MIGRANT CRISIS

A hat allegedly belonging to Jose Ibarra was introduced into evidence at Ibarra’s trial in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 in Athens, GA. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Magazine-Constitution via AP, Poo)

“If this occurs and the presumption of innocence is respected, there should be insufficient evidence to convince you beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Ibarra is guilty of the crimes charged,” defense attorney Dustin Kirby said in a statement Monday. he said.

Argenis and Diego have been subpoenaed to testify on behalf of the defense, but after some back-and-forth between the defense, prosecution and prosecution, it is still unclear whether they will actually be able to do so. Judge Patrick Haggard On Tuesday afternoon, Diego appeared in court to testify.

LAKEN RILEY MURDER CASE: PROSECUTORS PUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT ON STAGE IN OPENING STATEMENTS

Laken Riley’s mother, Allyson Phillips, second from left, reacts as Riley’s stepfather, John Phillips, comforts her during Jose Ibarra’s arraignment in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Athens, GA. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Repository)

Donnelly said Diego’s defense attorney argued to Jose’s attorney, John Donnelly, that Diego should not testify at Jose’s trial. Judge Haggard recommended that the court not proceed with Diego’s testimony, and the prosecution and defense then met to discuss the matter behind closed doors.

The defense’s second witness, Stephanie Slaton, lived in an apartment next door to the Ibarra family at the time of Riley’s murder. He testified that he spoke with Diego Ibarra on February 23, the day after Riley’s death, while “many” police officers were circling the complex.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED IN LAKEN RİLEY MURDER

From left, Connolly Huth, Laken Riley’s roommate, and Lauren Phillips, Riley’s younger sister, get emotional during Jose Ibarra’s arraignment in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, in Athens, Ga. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Magazine-AP, Constitution via Havuz)

Diego Ibarra said he didn’t know why the police were hanging around and asked Slaton what happened. Slaton also announced that someone “died” behind their apartment complex. Then two police officers approached them and asked what they were talking about. Slaton answered them and they walked away, he said.

Slaton later stated that Diego, with whom she had a sexual relationship at the time, used a translator app to tell her in English, “If you tell them, I’ll tell them you did it and then I’ll kill you too.”

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On cross-examination, Slaton admitted that he couldn’t guess what Diego meant by “if you tell them” because he wasn’t familiar with Riley’s murder and the reason police were hanging around the apartment. She also admitted that she was angry at Diego for having an affair with another woman.

On Monday, the second day of Ibarra’s trial, the court heard a recorded jailhouse phone call between Ibarra and his wife, Layling Franco, which was played aloud and translated by an FBI analyst who speaks fluent Spanish. Judge Haggard ruled Tuesday that the translated call could not be introduced into evidence.

Federal prosecutors say members of Tren de Aragua frequently wore Chicago Bulls clothing, even though they had no ties to Chicago and were not fans of the team. Investigators found this photo among many photos of Diego Ibarra, a suspected member of the gang, wearing Chicago Bulls clothing. (Central Region of Georgia)

“He said he thought it was crazy that they didn’t have anyone else’s DNA. They only had his DNA. And he said he didn’t understand how he could see that someone didn’t call 911 when they were dying,” FBI analyst Abeisis Ramirez said. FBI analyst Abeisis Ramirez testified in court Monday while translating the prosecution’s summons.

Ibarra and his siblings illegally in the United States from Venezuela at the time of their arrest following Riley’s murder. Diego was charged with green card fraud after showing false identification to police on February 23, and Argenis was placed on hold for immigration proceedings.

Prosecutor Sheila Ross speaks with an evidence bag during the arraignment of Jose Ibarra in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 in Athens, GA. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Magazine-AP, Constitution via Havuz)

Ibarra crossed into the United States illegally El Paso, Texas, He was released to the United States on parole in September 2022, ICE and DHS sources previously told Fox News.

The three siblings lived in an apartment building less than a half-mile from the campus park where Riley ran on the morning of Feb. 22. The apartment complexes abutted a shortcut to running tracks across the UGA campus, where Riley was located. He had died that afternoon in a wooded area, partially naked and covered in leaves. He died from blunt force trauma and asphyxiation, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner.

The site where Laken Riley’s body was found is near Lake Herrick on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, February 24, 2024. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital)

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ICE previously confirmed to Fox News Digital that Jose Ibarra was arrested by police. New York Police Department A year after entering the U.S. in August 2023, he was “charged with conduct in a manner likely to injure a child under the age of 17 and violation of motor vehicle registration.”

Diego Ibarra, who briefly worked at the UGA cafeteria before his arrest in February, had ties to Tren de Aragua, a known Venezuelan gang in the United States, according to federal court documents.