Laken Riley Murder Case: Jose Antonio Ibarra Given Life Sentence

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Jose Antonio Ibarra has been sentenced to beingness successful situation aft being recovered blameworthy of sidesplitting Georgia nursing pupil Laken Riley.

Ibarra, who U.S. officials person said is simply a Venezuelan national who entered the United States illegally successful 2022, was convicted Nov. 20 connected 10 counts, including 3 for felony murder, 1 for malice murder, positive kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated battle with intent to rape and being a "peeping Tom," NBC News reported.

Later successful the day, the justice sentenced Ibarra to beingness successful situation without the anticipation of parole for the sidesplitting of Riley.

The 22-year-old a nursing pupil astatine Augusta University, was moving astatine the intramural fields astatine the University of Georgia's field successful Athens, Ga. connected the greeting of Feb. 22 when she was attacked. She was recovered dormant successful a forested country aft her roommates called constabulary erstwhile she did not instrumentality home. 

Ibarra—whose DNA was discovered nether Riley's fingernails and whose thumbprint was recovered connected her iPhone, according to grounds presented by the prosecution—had initially pleaded not blameworthy to his execution and different charges.

Prosecutors argued during the seat proceedings that Ibarra killed Riley aft she fought disconnected his effort to rape her. "It is simply a nonstop effect of that fight," authoritative Sheila Ross had told the judge, per NBC News, "that gives you each the carnal grounds you request to convict."

However, the defence argued that portion the grounds showed the unfortunate was murdered, it did not necktie Ibarra to the sidesplitting without a tenable doubt, and they suggested Ibarra's brother, Diego Ibarra, could person killed Riley, NBC News said.

Riley is survived by her parents, 2 sisters and a brother. Her mother, Allyson Phillips, cried arsenic she work her unfortunate interaction connection earlier the sentencing.

"This monster took distant our chances to spot Laken postgraduate from nursing school," she said. “He took distant our quality to conscionable our aboriginal son-in-law. He destroyed our chances of gathering our grandchildren, and helium took my champion friend."

She added, “He took distant each beauteous representation we won’t ever beryllium capable to marque with her again."

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