JUSTICE

Laken Riley’s Migrant Killer Learns Fate After Guilty Verdict

Riley’s death fueled an already heated national debate on illegal immigration during the presidential race.

The illegal immigrant accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Jose Ibarra, 26, on Wednesday was convicted on a range of charges, including three felony counts of murder, for attacking 22-year-old Riley as she was on a jog on the University of Georgia’s campus, the New York Post reported. He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. Riley’s case became a flashpoint for the national debate on immigration during the presidential race; Ibarra entered the country illegally from Venezuela in 2022 and was allowed to stay while he pursued his immigration case. Republicans, including Donald Trump, have blamed President Joe Biden’s border policies for Riley’s death. Riley was found dead Feb. 22 on the Athens campus after not returning from a run. Prosecutor Sheila Ross said Ibarra randomly attacked Riley, intended to rape her and then killed her during a prolonged struggle. Judge Patrick Haggard delivered the verdict since Ibarra waived his right to a jury trial.