Laken Riley murder: Jose Ibarra found guilty of killing nursing student

A judge has found the man accused of killing Laken Riley of all counts in the murder of Laken Riley, whose death was at the center of the political immigration debate.

Ibarra did not take the stand in his own defense, WSB reported. He faced 10 counts in all, four of which were murder.

The defense gave its closing arguments Wednesday morning and the judge quickly gave his verdict. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

Officials said Ibarra, who is from Venezuela, entered the country illegally in 2022 but was allowed to remain as his immigration case proceeded, The Associated Press reported.

Ibarra came across Riley, a student at Augusta University College of Nursing, while she was running at the University of Georgia campus in Athens on Feb. 22. Prosecutors said he killed her during a struggle, the AP reported.

Prosecutors said Ibarra asphyxiated Riley and attempted to sexually assault her, killing her, WSB reported.

Prosecutors showed the court surveillance video of Riley exercising just before she was killed. Phone records showed she had called her mother at 9:03 a.m. before she started her run, then 911 eight minutes later.

When Riley’s mother tried to call her daughter back, the student didn’t answer. Her mother then sent a text message at 9:37 a.m. that read, “Call me when you can.” Her mom sent another text about 20 minutes later after not hearing from her daughter that read, “You’re making me nervous not answering while you’re out running. Are you OK?”

Other family members tried getting in touch with Riley also. Her mother sent another text at 11:47 a.m. reading “Please call me. I’m worried sick about you.”

Riley’s body was found about 50 minutes later at 12:38 p.m., WSB reported.

Ibarra’s defense attorney called Riley’s death a tragedy, but prosecutors didn’t have enough evidence to prove that their client killed her.

Check back for more on this developing story.

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