Laken Riley’s accused killerJose Ibarra will not testify in his own defense as his murder trial begans to wind down after just three days of testimony.
Ibarra, 26, a Venezuelan native who entered the US illegally, is charged with murder in the death of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was found dead on the Athens campus running trails in February.
The state rested its case on Tuesday afternoon after presenting 29 witnesses. Two witnesses for the defense took the stand and two more are expected tomorrow, including Ibarra’s brother, Diego.
Prosecutors say that on February 22, Ibarra hit Riley in the head with a rock while he was out “hunting for females” on campus. Dr. Michelle DiMarco, a GBI medical examiner who conducted the autopsy, testified that Riley’s injuries “could be consistent with a rock.”
A GBI specialist testified Riley’s DNA was found on two rocks at the scene. Riley’s DNA and Ibarra’s DNA were both found on a jacket that was retrieved from a dumster at Ibarra’s apartment comlex.
The murder case became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration during this year’s presidential campaign.
KEY POINTS
- How Laken Riley’s brutal murder became a divisive political issue
- Everything we know about the Laken Riley case
- Medical examiner says Laken Riley died from blunt-force head trauma and asphyxia
- Laken Riley’s final text message was sent to her mother
- Jose Ibarra will not testify in his defense
Trial updates on pause until Wednesday
22:50 , Andrea CavallierUpdates on trial proceedings are on pause until Wednesday morning.
Court will resume at 8:30 a.m. in Athens, Georgia.
At least two more defense witnesses are expected to testify before closing arguments are made.
Testimony resumes today in Laken Riley suspect murder trial
Monday 18 November 2024 14:55 , Andrea CavallierTestimony has resumed in the trial of Jose Ibarra, who is accused of killing Georgia nursing student 22-year-old Laken Riley, in a case that became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration during this year’s presidential campaign.
Follow along with The Independent for updates.
Everything we know about the Laken Riley case
Monday 18 November 2024 15:00 , Andrea CavallierWhen 22-year-old Laken Riley never returned after going for a morning run on the University of Georgia campus in February, her roommate became worried and called campus police.
The nursing student’s slain body was found later that day in a wooded area behind Lake Herrick, near UGA’s intramural fields on campus, according to University of Georgia Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The next day, Jose Ibarra, 26, who is not a US citizen, was arrested and charged with murder in Riley’s death, a case that quickly became a flashpoint in the national immigration debate.
Now, nine months later, Ibarra is on trial for her murder.
Read more:
Everything we know about the Laken Riley case as murder trial under way
How Laken Riley’s brutal murder became a divisive political issue
Monday 18 November 2024 15:10 , Andrea CavallierLaken Riley’s murder became a rallying cry for Republicans, an avoidable tragedy that they say encompasses the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S-Mexico border amid a record surge of immigrants entering the country.
Jose Ibarra, an immigrant from Venezuela who entered the United States illegally at El Paso in September 2022, is charged with murder and other crimes for the February slaying.
Immigration was already a major issue in the presidential campaign, and Republicans seized on Riley’s killing, with now-president-elect Donald Trump blaming Democratic President Joe Biden’s border policies for her death.
Republicans used Ibarra’s status to exemplify the ongoing issue at the southern border and touted Riley’s brutal killing as a way to bolster their anti-migrant agenda.
Read more:
How Laken Riley’s brutal murder became a bitterly divisive political issue
Bodycam footage shows moment officer sees what “looked like fingernail scratches” on suspect
Monday 18 November 2024 15:22 , Andrea CavallierThe first witness on Monday was a University of Georgia Police officer Sgt. Joshua Epps, who testified seeing injuries on Ibarra when he responded to the suspect’s home.
“While speaking to him, I noticed on his right arm, his bicep, there was a scratch,” he told the court. “On his left arm, he had a forearm scratch that was very similar – which in my mind, looked like fingernail scratches to me.”
“I also noticed on his left wrist, just below the palm, he had a puncture – maybe half an inch wide – that, through my experiences playing sports in high school, and receiving the same injury from fingernails in football, I could see, like, wet flesh, like almost like it was fresh. It wasn’t very old,” Epps said.
Suspect could not explain scratches on arms
Monday 18 November 2024 15:26 , Andrea CavallierJose Ibarra did not have an explanation for the scratches on his arms, according to Cpl. Rafael Sayan, who testified in court Monday.
Sayan questioned the suspect after the first officer was unable to do so because of the language barrier.
In the body cam footage played in court, Ibarra can be seen pointing to his arms and wrist while speaking to the officer.
“First he says, ‘I don’t have anything there … there’s nothing there,’” Sayan said over the video. “Then he starts pointing at it again, saying that, ‘Oh, it’s just a scratch.’”
Sayan told the court that the scratch looked fresh as it appeared to be moist with bodily fluid, and that “it didn’t look very old.”
ICYMI: Prosecutor says suspect was out ‘hunting for female’ on day of Laken Riley’s murder
Monday 18 November 2024 15:35 , Andrea CavallierDuring opening statements on Friday, Prosecutor Sheila Ross said Ibarra had been “hunting” for women on the day of the murder but when he came across Riley she “fought” back.
When she “refused to be a rape victim, he bashed her skull in with a rock repeatedly.”
“The evidence will show that Laken fought,” she said. “She fought for her life, she fought for her dignity. And in that fight she caused this defendant to leave forensic evidence behind.”
Riley’s mother sobbed in court during the proceedings.
ICYMI: Defense says there is not sufficient evidence against Ibarra
Monday 18 November 2024 15:50 , Andrea CavallierDefense attorney Dustin Kirby said in his opening statements on Friday that Laken Riley’s death was a tragedy and called the evidence in the case graphic and disturbing.
But he said there is not sufficient evidence to prove that his client killed Riley.
He said prosecutors are relying on conflicting methods to link DNA and fingerprints to Ibarra. And then questioned how Ibarra’s fingerprints could be on the phone if he was supposedly wearing gloves.
“The evidence in this case is very good that Laken Riley was murdered,” Kirby said. “The evidence that Jose Ibarra killed Laken Riley is circumstantial.”
Crime scene specialist reveals what was found at murder suspect’s home
Monday 18 November 2024 15:59 , Andrea CavallierAnnie Moorman, a crime scene specialist with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, testified in court on Monday about what investigators found when they searched Jose Ibarra’s apartment the day after Laken Riley’s murder.
She said they collected electronic devices and kitchen gloves, which were “restaurant-style.”
Moorman added that this was important to the investigation because “earlier in the day, officers had located gloves that had been described as looking sort of like these from a bush at the apartment complex.”
No blood was found in the apartment.
Jose Ibarra and brothers appeared to be laughing when police talked to them day after murder
Monday 18 November 2024 16:13 , Andrea CavallierJose Ibarra and his brothers appeared to be laughing when police responded to his apartment the day after Laken Riley was killed, Cpl. Rafael Sayan, a UGA police officer, testified on Monday.
“There was a lot of laughing, giggling – especially when they were talking about how they were woken up, pulled out of the apartment,” Sayan said.
“I would say the vibe or the atmosphere was very relaxed and calm.”
Jose Ibarra’s roommate takes the stand
Monday 18 November 2024 16:24 , Andrea CavallierJose Ibarra’s roommate Rosbeli Elisber Flores-Bello is now testifying on the stand in his murder case.
She shared an apartment with Jose Ibarra and his brothers in Athens, Georgia at the time of the murder.
She recalled identifyingIbarra in surveillance video to officers when she was questioned on February 23.
Jose Ibarra had no reaction when told about murder, suspect’s roommate says
Monday 18 November 2024 16:29 , Andrea CavallierIbarra’s roommate said he had no reaction when he was told about the murder that happened not far from their home.
Flores-Bello told the court that she heard about Laken Riley’s murder from a neighbor on February 22, the day of the killing.
She told Ibarra’s brother Argenis Ibarra about the news and it was shared with the other brothers, but no one reacted to it, she said.
When asked about the surveillance video of Ibarra, she admitted that she thought it was strange that he was throwing away his jacket.
Laken Riley’s mom sobs as photos of ‘fingernail scratches’ are shown in court
Monday 18 November 2024 17:10 , Andrea CavallierLaken Riley’s mom Allyson Phillips sobbed in court on Monday as photos were shown of what appeared to be fingernail scratches on the suspect’s arms.
Video footage showed the moment officers confronted him about the scratches on his arms, but Ibarra did not have an explanation, Cpl. Rafael Sayan testified.
“First he says, ‘I don’t have anything there … there’s nothing there,’” Sayan said over the video. “Then he starts pointing at it again, saying that, ‘Oh, it’s just a scratch.’”
Who is Jose Ibarra?
Monday 18 November 2024 17:30 , Andrea CavallierJose Ibarra, who is from Venezuela and is not a US citizen, has no known connection to Laken Riley and no known violent criminal history. Instead, investigators described Riley’s violent death as a “crime of opportunity.”
Ibarra’s status as a non-US citizen sparked conflicting reports from law enforcement agencies about his criminal past on American soil – and during an election year spurred Republican lawmakers to seize on the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the hour to push offensive theories about migrants online.
President Joe Biden also sparked a backlash among some Democrats after referring to him as “an illegal” during his fiery State of the Union speech this year.
Now, Ibarra is on trial for murder.
Here’s what we know about Jose Antonio Ibarra:
Here’s what we know about the suspect in Laken Riley’s murder
Court on lunch break
Monday 18 November 2024 17:38 , Andrea CavallierCourt is on a lunch break and will resume att 1:30 ET.
FBI agent testifies about what was found on suspect’s phone
Monday 18 November 2024 17:57 , Andrea CavallierFBI special agent Jamie Hipkiss testified Monday that there were selfies on Jose Ibarra’s phone that showed him wearing the same clothes as the suspect.
Ibarra was wearing a white-and-black shirt, black Adidas hat and navy blue jacket, according to Hipkiss.
He said the clothes are “consistent with” the suspect who was seen on video tossing out the jacket in a dumpster. The jacket was collected by investigators and was later determined to contain DNA from both Ibarra and Laken Riley.
“We see him removing the navy blue jacket and stuffing it into the recycling bin in his apartment complex, he appears to be wearing that exact same shirt there,” Hipkiss said on the stand.
His testimony will resume after the lunch break.
Ibarra’s brothers subpoenaed to testify
Monday 18 November 2024 19:20 , Andrea CavallierIbarra’s brothers have been subpoenaed to testify, according to a court filing Monday.
Jose Ibarra’s brothers, Diego and Argenis, lived in the same apartment. They face federal charges for allegedly having false immigration documents.
It’s not clear when they will take the stand.
Ibarra’s wife asks ‘What happened with the girl’ in jail phone call
Monday 18 November 2024 20:01 , Andrea CavallierIn a recorded jail phone call played in court on Monday, Jose Ibarra’s wife, Layling Franco, urged him to tell the truth following his arrest for the brutal murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley earlier this year.
FBI specialist Abeisis Ramirez testified about the call, providing a Spanish to English translation of the conversation.
“She continues to ask him: What happened with the girl?” Ramirez testified. “She tells him that he has to know something, and he just continues to tell her like, ‘Layling enough, Layling enough.’”
Ramirez said Layling then “said that she thinks it’s crazy that they don’t have anyone else’s DNA – they only have his. And she said she doesn’t understand how someone can see someone dying and not call 911.”
“I know you know something,” she added on the call.
Jose Ibarra took selfies in clothes matching clothes seen in a surveillance video
Monday 18 November 2024 20:09 , Andrea CavallierAn image displayed in court shows Jose Ibarra who was seen wearing a hat that led the police to his arrest.
The selfies were found on Ibarra’s phone.
Ibarra’s roommate testified they took ‘humanitarian flight’ from NYC to Georgia
Monday 18 November 2024 20:23 , Andrea CavallierJose Ibarra’s roommate Rosbeli Elisber Flores-Bello testified through an interpreter that she moved with him from New York City to Athens, Georgia, in September of 2023.
Flores-Bello was living in Queens when they met through his mother-in-law.
She said they moved to Georgia because Ibarra’s brother talked about the many work opportunities in Athens.
When asked by the state how they got to Athens, Flores-Bello said they requested a “humanitarian flight” in September.
“In Manhattan, at The Roosevelt Hotel, we asked for a humanitarian flight to come here to Atlanta, to come here to Manhattan,” she said.
The hotel was used as a temporary in-take center for migrants.
Woman testifies about peeping tom incident that happened hour before Laken Riley’s murder
Monday 18 November 2024 20:45 , Andrea CavallierTejaswi Stamilmnai Saraswathi, 24, testified about someone trying to get into her apartment while she was in the shower.
It happened on the morning of February 22 about an hour before Laken Riley’s murder.
Jose Ibarra faces the peeping tom charge related to the incident.
Saraswathi, who was a student at the University of Georgia, told the court she heard someone “fidgeting” with the door of her Athens apartment.
“When I went to see who it was, I saw through a peephole someone was trying to open the door,” she said. The person fled, but she saw that he was wearing a black hood, black jacket, a hat and black gloves. But she couldn’t see his face, she said.
Laken Riley’s mother cries during testimony about the moment her heart stopped beating
Monday 18 November 2024 21:02 , Andrea CavallierLaken Riley’s mother broke down in tears again in court on Monday – this time during testimony that revealed the exact moment her heart stopped.
University of Georgia police officer Wesley Durkit said that data from Laken Riley’s smartwatch show her heart rate and moving speed slowing down and then coming to a sudden stop at 9:10 a.m. Her heart stopped beating at 9:28 a.m., he said.
She activated the SOS feature on her phone at 9:10:39 a.m. and a 911 call went out at 9:11:06 a.m., Durkit testified.
Riley’s heart rate dropped to zero beats per minute and remained there until a few short spikes at 12:38 p.m., when a police officer performed CPR on her, he testified.
Jogger says she saw a person in hooded jacket standing ‘really, really still’ on the trail morning of Laken Riley’s murder
Monday 18 November 2024 21:21 , Andrea CavallierSally Kirklewski, who was an avid runner on the trails, testified that she saw a person on the trails the morning of Laken Riley’s murder who was standing “really, really still.”
The person appeared to be a man, she said, and was wearing a navy blue jacket with the hood up. He was wearing gloves and dark pants and dark shoes, she added.
When she spotted him, he was standing near a retention pond facing away from the trail, she said.
“I continued running past this person a little bit faster,” she said.
FBI agent says suspect’s phone data places him ‘very close’ to Laken Riley at time of murder
Monday 18 November 2024 22:18 , Andrea CavallierFBI Special Agent James “Jay” Berni, who analyzed the suspect’s phone data, told the court that between 9:09 a.m. and 9:12 a.m., Jose Ibarra’s phone and Laken Riley’s digital profile were “very close” until “approximately, I would say, probably 9:32,” he said.
Riley’s smartwatch data showed her heart stopped at 9:28 a.m., according to earlier testimony.
The agent went on to say that Ibarra’s cell phone location then moved away from the crime scene, back to his apartment, to the dumpster where it’s alleged he dumped his jacket and back home around 9:44 a.m.
He also pointed out that the data showed movement from Ibarra’s apartment, then near the apartment of a doctoral student at the University of Georgia, who testified earlier that an unknown person was peeping into her home while she was in the shower, jsuyt an hour before Riley was killed.
Then, Ibarra’s “device was most likely in the forested area somewhere along this park (Oconee Forest Park),” at 9:09 a.m., Berni testified.
Day 2 wraps up as state prepares to rest and defense has less than half a day of witnesses
Monday 18 November 2024 22:22 , Andrea CavallierDay two of Jose Ibarra’s murder trial wrapped up on Monday and will resume on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Prosecutors told the court they will rest their case against Ibarra on Tuesday. The defense team was told to have their witnesses ready for the afternoon.
One of the defense attorneys told the judge they have less than half a day of testimony planned.
Jose Ibarra trial resumes – here’s what to expect
15:02 , Andrea CavallierCourt resumed this morning at 8:30 a.m.
The court is expected to hear from the state’s last few witnesses, including a medical examiner.
Ibarra’s brothers could also be called to the stand.
Prosecutors say they expect to rest their case today.
The defense will then begin to present their case and said they will need less than half a day for witness testimony.
Laken Riley’s final text message was sent to her mother
15:13 , Andrea CavallierOn the morning of her murder, Laken Riley texted her mother hoping to talk to her while out for a run, the court heard on Tuesday.
“Good morning, about to go for a run if you’re free to talk,” Riley wrote.
Sophie Raboud of the UGA Police Department testified that Riley sent the message at 8:55 a.m. She then called her mother at 9:03 a.m. but there was no answer.
As the officer testified, Riley’s mother could be heard crying in court.
The next time Riley used her phone that morning, it was at 9:11 a.m. to call for help.
When Riley’s mother Allyson Phillips called her back at 9:24 a.m., there was no answer.
Phillips then texted at 9:37 a.m., “Call me when you can.”
After calling several times, her mother texted, “You’re making me nervous not answering while you’re out running. Are you OK?”
Again at 11:47 a.m., Riley’s mother texted, “Please call me, I’m worried sick about you.”
Judge rules Ibarra’s jail phone call with wife will not be admitted as evidence
15:30 , Andrea CavallierAs court began on Tuesday Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard ruled that the translations of a jail phone call between Jose Ibarra and his wife Layling Franco would not be admitted into evidence.
The call was played on Monday and translated from Spanish to English by FBI specialist Abeisis Ramirez.
The judge also ruled that several short videos Ibarra had posted of selfies along with Spanish song lyrics will not be admitted.
“After hearing the translations, I do find that it was more than contextual and therefore violates the confrontation clause in the 6th Amendment,” Judge Haggard said.
Video shown in court of man lurking around peeping tom victim’s home
15:50 , Andrea CavallierOn the morning of Laken Riley’s murder, security video footage from the University of Georgia campus safety camera system shows a man wearing dark clothing and a hood lurking around a building where a doctoral student claimed someone was peeking into her apartment.
Tejaswi Stamilmnai Saraswathi, 24, testified Monday about someone trying to get into her apartment while she was in the shower. An hour later, Laken Riley was killed nearby.
The video was shown to the court on Tuesday during testimony by Sgt. Sophie Raboud with the University of Georgia police department.
She noted that there was also a street camera video showing Laken Riley, and later her friends, looking for her.
Video captures Laken Riley on campus moments before she was killed
16:15 , Andrea CavallierVideo footage from the University of Georgia campus safety camera system that was played in court on Tuesday shows Laken Riley moments before she was killed on February 22.
A man wearing dark clothing and wearing a hood is first seen around 6:50 a.m. walking and standing outside an apartment complex near the trail where Riley was killed.
He does this for a little over an hour and then Riley is seen running by on the trail. Another video shows her running on the trail just after 9 a.m.
Then around 11:36 a.m., two of Riley’s roommates and their dog are seen walking the same trail as they search for Riley.
Bodycam footage shows moment Jose Ibarra was confronted by police
16:40 , Andrea CavallierGloves found in a bush near Jose Ibarra’s home match gloves in his room, GBI analyst says
17:55 , Andrea CavallierAlexander Covin, a microanalyst with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, testified on Tuesday that gloves found discarded in a bush near Jose Ibarra’s apartment after Laken Riley’s murder match the ones found inside a drawer in his home.
“My conclusions were that the black disposable gloves that were recovered from the bush, are like the disposable gloves that were recovered from the apartment, and could have originated from the same source,” Covin said.
Covin added that the gloves were “not plasticized, so not latex or rubber,” and that if the gloves “were to be strained, or pulled, or stretched in any way, they may tear more easily.”
Medical examiner says Laken Riley died from blunt-force head trauma and asphyxia
18:17 , Andrea CavallierDr. Michelle DiMarco, an associate medical examiner with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, took the stand on Tuesday and testified about Laken Riley’s cause of death.
She said it was the combined effects of blunt-force head trauma and asphyxia. The manner of death was homicide.
DiMarco also testified about the injuries Riley had to her face that “could be consistent with a rock.”
There were no signs of sexual assault, she testified.
An emotional day in court
20:22 , Andrea CavallierLauren Phillips, the younger sister of Laken Riley, and Riley’s roommate, Connolly Huth, become emotional during the trial for Jose Ibarra at the Athens-Clarke County Superior Court on Tuesday.
Gloves, hat, discarded jacket tested positive for blood: crime lab tech
20:36 , Andrea CavallierKatrina Ostapovicz, a forensic serologist with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab, testified that back disposable gloves, a navy blue jacket, a cutting from a tree, two rocks and a black Adidas hat all tested presumptively positive for the presence of blood.
A red-brown stain that appeared to be the color of blood was found on the jacket. She described the gloves found near the crime scene as having holes in them.
The items were sent for further DNA testing.
State rests case against Jose Ibarra
20:43 , Andrea CavallierThe state has rested its case against Jose Ibarra after three days of testimony.
Ibarra will not testify in his defense.
The defense will now present their case.
Laken Riley's fingernail clippings sample matched Jose Ibarra’s DNA
20:50 , Andrea CavallierGBI crime lab scientist Ashley Hinkle testified that the DNA from Riley’s fingernail clippings was linked to the genetic profile of Jose Ibarra.
Hinkle also testified that Riley and Ibarra were the only two people who contributed to the DNA profile on a cutting of the blue jacket found in a dumpster near Ibarra’s apartment.
Samples from the rocks and tree at the crime scene, along with samples from the black gloves found in the bush outside Ibarra’s apartment were only conclusive for Riley’s DNA, she said.
Jose Ibarra will not testify
20:53 , Andrea CavallierJose Antonio Ibarra said through an interpreter that he will not testify in his defense at his murder trial.
He confirmed his decision after being asked by Judge H. Patrick Haggard if he understands his right not to testify, to which Ibarra answered “Si.”
When asked by the judge if he wants to testify, Ibarra said no and shook his head.
First defense witness testifies about seeing person in dark clothes on running trails on day of Laken Riley’s murder
21:15 , Andrea CavallierJoseph Clementi is the first witness for the defense. The 22-year-old was running on the same trails as Riley on February 22.
He testified about calling the campus police the following day to report seeing a person in dark clothing with a hood or cap wandering around near the retention pond.
He said he noticed the person because they were not wearing any sort of athletic-style clothing. It was about 9:39 a.m. according to his Nike run club app.
Clementi said he saw the person “for a split second” and admitted that he could not identify his race.
Second defense witness claims suspect’s brother Diego threatened to kill her
21:31 , Andrea CavallierStephanie Slaton, who lives in the same apartment complex as Jose Ibarra and his brothers, testified that Diego, who she admitted to having a sexual relationship with, threatened to kill her if she told police anything about Laken Riley’s murder.
She told the court that on the day of Riley’s murder, she told him about it and said if he knows anything, because he walks the trails behind the apartment, then he should tell police.
She explained that she does not speak much Spanish but according to her Google translate app, he said, “If you tell them I will tell them you did it and I will kill you.”
Under cross examination, Slaton admitted she had a sexual relationship with Diego Ibarra, and was under the influence of alcohol at the time she spoke with GBI investigators on February 23, in which she relayed the same story she told in court.
Jose Ibarra's brother Diego called to the stand
21:44 , Andrea CavallierJose Ibarra’s brother Diego Ibarra has been called to the stand as the defense’s third witness.
Diego Ibarra, who is awaiting sentencing on federal charges not related to this case, was ushered in wearing an orange jumpsuit and orange slides. His hands were shackled to his waist, according to reporters in the courtroom. He is not being shown on camera.
Moments after he was brought in, defense attorneys told the judge that they were just informed by Diego Ibarra’s lawyer that he is exercising his right not to testify. His lawyer is not present in the courtroom.
Court is on a brief recess.
Court has adjourned for the day
21:52 , Andrea CavallierCourt has adjourned for the day and will resume tomorrow at 8:30 a.m.
The defense will be presenting the balance of its case.
