Jose Ibarra Sentenced to Life for Murder of 22-Year-Old Georgia Student, Laken Riley

Nov 20, 2024, 05:20 PM

Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan undocumented immigrant and alleged member of the Tren de Aragua gang, was convicted on Wednesday of murdering 22-year-old nursing student, Laken Hope Riley, in Athens, Georgia. Ibarra was found guilty on all 10 counts, including malice murder, felony murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, and peeping Tom charges. The judge, H. Patrick Haggard, sentenced Ibarra to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Riley, a University of Georgia student, was killed in February 2024 while jogging near the university campus. District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez did not seek the death penalty, citing concerns over "justice" and "collateral consequences to undocumented defendants".