Laken Riley’s killer’s cold reaction as judge reaches verdict in Georgia student’s murder
Undocumented migrant Jose Ibarra has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Laken Riley.
The Venezuela native, 26, had pleaded not guilty to the 22-year-old’s February murder near the University of Georgia campus in Athens.
He stared coldly as the verdict was read while his victim’s family sobbed in court, and remained stone-faced as the sentence were revealed shortly after.
Prosecutors had declined to seek the death penalty in the case.
Ibarra did not show emotion as Riley’s heartbroken mother pleaded with the judge to give the killer the maximum punishment.
Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard found him guilty after he waived his right to a jury trial. The trial began on Friday.
Ibarra was convicted of all 10 counts against him: malice murder, felony murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, aggravated battery, obstructing an emergency call, evidence tampering and being a peeping Tom.
#BREAKING: The illegal immigrant charged in the murder of Laken Riley has been found GUILTY on all charges. pic.twitter.com/9jLxC4zp9m
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 20, 2024
