ATHENS, Ga. — The suspect accused of killing an Augusta University nursing student on the campus of the University of Georgia was back in court on Friday.
A judge in Athens heard arguments about what evidence could be included in the trial against Jose Ibarra in the killing of Laken Riley in a trial that is likely going to capture national attention.
Riley's family members were in court on Friday, filling up an entire row as they waited for Ibarra to appear in front of them. Her mother became emotional when he walked into the courtroom and when details of the investigation came up.
Her family watched on as multiple witnesses described the early hours of the investigation into the 22-year-old's death.
Riley was found dead in a forested area UGA's campus. Sgt. Timothy Johnson with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department described the hours spent in the area where Riley was found and the initial search of the apartment where Ibarra was staying.
"I asked him to where he resided, to which he told us in Spanish 'Delta 126,'" Johnson said.
Johnson was one of six potential witnesses by prosecutors and Ibarra's attorneys, making arguments about what evidence should and should not be allowed at the trial which is set to begin in November.
In the hearing, Ibarra's attorneys filed a motion to sever count 10 (Peeping Tom) from the rest of the charges, for which the judge denied.
More importantly, the judge decided he would wait to give an answer to the defense team's motion for a change of venue. The prosecution argued that a change of venue would not limit the media coverage of this trial in any of Georgia's 159 counties. There is also a hearing scheduled for Nov. 1, where the defendant and the state are expected to hear motions.
Prosecutors had previously announced DNA evidence against Ibarra, which included a thumbprint from Riley's phone, DNA from her fingernails, as well as video footage.
“Laken Riley called 911 from her cellular telephone,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing last month. “That 911 call – the last outgoing call from Laken Riley’s cellular telephone – was disconnected by Defendant Ibarra.”
Ibarra's lawyers filed a motion to exclude evidence and expert opinion that concerns DNA evidence produced by a genetics company, TruAllele Casework Software. These motions will also be heard at the Nov. 1 hearing.