ATHENS, Ga. — The trial for the man accused of killing a nursing student who was going for a run on the University of Georgia campus back in February began on Friday.
Jose Ibarra, who entered the U.S. illegally, is charged with murder in the February killing. Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University, was found dead in the woods behind Lake Herrick near UGA's intramural fields on Feb. 22.
Ibarra, 26, waived his right to a jury trial, meaning his case is being heard and decided by Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard.
The story gained national attention and became the forefront topic of immigration debate during this year's presidential campaign. 11Alive is breaking down a timeline of events of the case, of which some became clearer during the first day of testimony.
Lake Riley killing | Timeline
Thursday, Feb. 22
9:03 a.m. | Riley left home and headed for the wooded trails where she often ran.
9:10 a.m. | Data from her watch shows she was running at a fast pace when something happened that made her "stop dead in her tracks," Prosecutor Sheila Ross said in court on Nov. 15.
9:11 a.m. | She called 911. A 911 dispatcher answered but no one responded when she repeatedly sought a response, and then the call was ended by the caller. The dispatcher immediately called back, but no one answered.
9:28 a.m. | Riley's watch data still showed her heart was beating until 9:28 a.m. “Her encounter with him was long. Her fight with him was fierce,” Ross said.
9:44 a.m. | Security camera video shows a man that Ross said is Ibarra in a parking lot at his apartment complex. The man tossed something in a recycling bin and then appeared to throw something in nearby bushes. In the recycling bin, officers found a dark hooded jacket with blood that turned out to be Riley's on it and strands of long dark hair caught on a button. In the bushes, they found black disposable kitchen gloves, one of which had a hole in the tip of the thumb.
10:19 a.m. | Video shows what appeared to be the same man wearing different clothes and walking toward a trash bin with a bag and then walking back empty-handed. That bin was emptied before police were able to search it.
UGA Police received a call just around noon from a concerned friend of an individual who had gone for a run at the Intramural Fields, which is on the UGA campus. Officers then responded to the area at 12:38 p.m. and immediately began searching for her 20 minutes after they received the call.
UGA Police Chief Jeff Clark said this would be the first homicide investigation that happened on the campus of UGA in at least the last 20 years, remarking just how rare this was.
All University of Georgia classes that began at 5:30 and later were canceled on Thursday, and all UGA classes were canceled for Friday, as well.
Friday, Feb. 23
Ibarra's arrest
Jose Antonio Ibarra was arrested the next day, on Feb. 23. He faces several charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, kidnapping and interfering with a 911 call.
What we know about Laken Riley
11Alive learned more about who Riley was. She was a UGA student through the Spring Semester 2023 before she transferred to the Augusta University College of Nursing program at Athens, where she was currently enrolled as a junior and on the Dean's List.
Riley graduated from River Ridge High School in Woodstock in 2020, where she was a cross-country runner.
She was also a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority at UGA, before she transferred to attend nursing school at Augusta University, who has a partnership for prospective nursing students at UGA.
Sunday, Feb. 25
A spokesperson for ICE stated U.S. Customs and Border Protection had previously arrested Ibarra in September of 2022 after "unlawfully entering the United States: near El Paso, Texas. She added that he "was paroled and released for further processing."
The statement also said that almost a year later in August 2023, Ibarra was arrested by New York Police and charged with "acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation." However, she noted he was released by police before a detainer could be issued.
Monday, Feb. 26
11Alive obtained the warrants from Ibarra's arrest that took place on Feb 23, 2024. Arrest warrants for Ibarra accuse him of:
- His aggravated assault charge alleges "causing great bodily harm with an object." The object is not specified.
- His aggravated battery charge alleges bodily harm caused to Riley's skull.
- His charge of concealing death of another alleges he "did conceal the death of another person, and/or hinder discovery by dragging the victim to a secluded area."
Thursday, March 7
State of the Union address
President Joe Biden mentioned Riley's name during his State of the Union address that night.
It all started after Biden began talking about immigration issues at the southern border. Georgia's U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene shouted Riley's name from the audience, which drew gasps and boos from some.
She then shouted, "Say her name!" Biden then reached down and grabbed a Laken Riley pin that Greene had given him as he made his entrance into the United States Capitol chamber.
"Laken Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal," Biden said. "But how many...thousands of people are being killed by illegals. To her parents, I say my heart goes out to you, having lost children myself. I understand."
When Biden walked into the chamber, Greene said, "Laken Riley, say her name, Mr. President."
Friday, May 31
Ibarra pleaded not guilty during his arraignment, sending the case to trial.
Thursday, Aug. 29
Ibarra's attorneys filed a motion to suppress some of the evidence in the case, according to court documents.
The documents claim that two cell phones, social media accounts, which include Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, genetic and physical information, and location data-- were "aggrieved by an unlawful search and seizure"-- without probable cause.
According to the court documents, officers entered Ibarra's apartment without a warrant-- the day after Riley was found dead.
Friday, Oct. 11
A judge in Athens heard arguments about what evidence could be included in the trial against Jose Ibarra in the killing of Laken Riley.
Riley's family was in court, 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.
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.
Friday, Nov. 8
The judge denied three motions to suppress evidence in Ibarra's trial.
Judge Patrick Haggard heard arguments from Jose Ibarra's attorneys challenging some of the evidence prosecutors say they have against him, including cell phone data, DNA from Riley's fingernails, and fingerprints found on her phone.
During the evidentiary hearing, Prosecutor Sheila Ross questioned an FBI agent who had seized two cell phones and collected data. Prosecutors argued the evidence was collected lawfully using multiple warrants.
However, Ibarra's attorneys disagreed, questioning the methods investigators used to collect data from the phones.
Defense attorneys also asked the judge to stop the jury from seeing specific DNA evidence, but the effort ultimately failed.
Tuesday, Nov. 12
Ibarra submitted a waiver of his right to a jury trial, meaning there will be a bench trial for Ibarra that will be decided upon by Judge Haggard.
"By using a bench trial, a lot of the bias issues and the notoriety issues are removed from the calculus of the prosecution," said criminal defense attorney Joshua Schiffer, who is not involved with this case. "It's assumed that judges are going to be independent and unbiased because it's a core function of their job."
Friday, Nov. 15
The trial for Jose Ibarra began on Friday, Nov. 15. Attorneys on both sides argued extensively, with the prosecutor saying Ibarra was a Venezuelan man who "went hunting for females on the University of Georgia’s campus” in regard to Riley's death. Ibarra's lawyer, however, said the evidence is circumstantial and doesn't prove his client is guilty.
“When Laken Riley refused to be his rape victim, he bashed her skull in with a rock repeatedly,” prosecutor Sheila Ross said, adding that the evidence would show that Riley “fought for her life, for her dignity.”
As a result of that fight, Ibarra's DNA was left under her fingernails, Ross said. Riley called 911 and, in a struggle over her phone, Ibarra's thumbprint was left on the screen, she said.
That forensic evidence is sufficient to prove Ibarra's guilt, but digital and video evidence also prove that Ibarra killed Riley, the prosecutor said.
Defense attorney Dustin Kirby called the evidence in the case graphic and disturbing, but he said none of it proves that his client killed Riley.
“The evidence in this case is very good that Laken Riley was murdered," he said. "The evidence that Jose Ibarra killed Laken Riley is circumstantial.”
Before Ross played video from the body camera of the officer who found Riley, she warned Riley's family that her body would be shown. Riley's mother left the courtroom, but other family members and friends remained, some of them crying or covering their faces during the video.