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Laken Riley—who was killed successful February aft going retired for a greeting jog astatine University of Georgia—sent a bittersweet substance to her ma conscionable earlier heading retired for her workout, according to prosecutors.
By Leah Degrazia Nov 20, 2024 1:42 AMTags
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Content warning: This communicative discusses battle and murder.
Details astir Laken Riley's last moments are being revealed.
Nine months aft she was killed portion retired for a jog, prosecutors shared the last substance connection the 22-year-old sent to her ma Allyson Phillips conscionable earlier leaving for her greeting workout at the intramural fields astatine University of Georgia.
"Good morning," work the connection shared by an researcher during the Nov. 19 trial, according 11 Alive, "about to spell for a tally if you're escaped to talk."
And that wasn't the lone mode Riley tried to pass with Phillips. The nursing pupil besides tried calling her ma little than 10 minutes aboriginal and 911 soon aft that— though the second telephone was abruptly chopped short, according to a timeline shared by prosecutors successful court, per the outlet.
Phillips coiled up missing her daughter's call, but she tried pursuing up 20 minutes aboriginal and sent a drawstring of anxious messages.
"You're making maine tense not answering portion you're retired running. Are you OK?" 1 substance allegedly read, portion the matriarch wrote successful different message, according to CBS News, "Please telephone me. I'm disquieted sick astir you."
By then, however, prosecutors alleged that Riley had already encountered fishy Jose Ibarra—a 26-year-old Venezuelan autochthonal who entered the U.S. illegally successful 2022—on a wooded trail, wherever they said she died astir 9:28 a.m. pursuing a struggle.
She was reported missing by a person aft failing to instrumentality location from exercising.
E! News reached retired to prosecutors and Ibarra's lawyer for remark but has not heard back.
When Riley's assemblage was recovered successful the woods connected Feb. 22, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Lucas Breyer said successful tribunal that her apparel were "heavily manipulated," per CBS News, with the waistband of her moving tights being pulled down immoderate and her jacket, garment and sports bra having been pulled mode up.
That aforesaid month, Ibarra—whose DNA was discovered astatine the scene—was charged with murder, kidnapping, battle and hindering a 911 call. He has since pleaded not blameworthy to each the charges and is presently lasting trial, though helium volition not attest successful his ain defense.
Following Riley's passing, FBI Director Christopher Wray offered his condolences to her loved ones and assemblage astatine University of Georgia.
"I privation to archer you however heartbroken I am," Wray said during a March 19 property conference, per CBS News, "not conscionable for the family, friends, classmates, and unit who are grieving Laken's loss. I'm saddened to spot that consciousness of bid shattered by Laken's murder."
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