Jose Ibarra's Bench Trial Begins in Murder of 22-Year-Old Nursing Student, Laken Riley

Nov 15, 2024, 04:04 PM

Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who entered the United States illegally in 2022, has gone on trial in Georgia for the February 22 murder of 22-year-old nursing student, Laken Riley. Ibarra waived his right to a jury trial, opting for a bench trial that began on Friday. In opening statements, prosecutor Sheila Ross detailed the gruesome nature of the crime, alleging that Ibarra attacked Riley while she was jogging on the University of Georgia campus, bashing her skull with a rock. Evidence presented includes DNA, fingerprints, surveillance footage, and Riley's desperate 911 call played in court, which revealed she fought fiercely for her life.