Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen, was found guilty of the murder of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at the University of Georgia. The verdict, delivered by Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard, sentenced Ibarra to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The incident occurred on February 22, when Riley, a student at Augusta University College of Nursing, went missing after a morning run on the University of Georgia campus. Her body was discovered later that day in Oconee Forest Park near a jogging trail, with officials stating that she had died from blunt force trauma. Ibarra was arrested the following day after a substantial amount of evidence pointed to him as the perpetrator.
During the trial, which Ibarra waived his right to a jury for, Judge Haggard found him guilty on all ten counts, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and kidnapping with bodily injury. Prosecutor Sheila Ross had provided overwhelming evidence against Ibarra, including DNA found under Laken Riley’s fingernails and on a jacket linked to Ibarra, as well as surveillance footage showing him near the crime scene.
The case gained much attention due to Ibarra’s status as an undocumented immigrant who had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in 2022. This aspect of the case has been brought up multiple times by President-elect Donald Trump and other Republicans, who criticized current immigration policies and used Riley’s murder as an example of the dangers posed by lax border security. On X, Trump expressed his condolences to Riley’s family and reiterated his call for stricter immigration controls.
Laken Riley’s family and friends were deeply affected by her loss, with her mother, Allyson Phillips, tearfully describing the impact of the murder on their lives. “He took my best friend,” Phillips said. “He ripped away every beautiful memory we will ever be able to make with her again.” The family urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence on Ibarra, which he ultimately did.
The trial also saw defense attorney Kaitlyn Beck attempting to cast doubt on the evidence, arguing that it was circumstantial and that there were alternative interpretations. However, the judge found the prosecution’s case compelling, supported by forensic, digital, and video evidence that left no room for reasonable doubt.
Video below shows moment Judge Haggard delivers final verdict in Laken Riley’s case.
