Laken Riley murder trial: A look at what happened in court on Day 2
The trial of a man accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley wrapped up its second day on Monday in Athens, Ga. Jose Antonio Ibarra, who is charged with murder and other crimes, waived his right to a trial by jury. Instead, Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard will decide on the outcome of the case. Ibarra has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
Here’s a look at how we got here and key moments from day two of the trial.
How we got here
Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Georgia’s Augusta University was reported missing by her friends on Feb. 22, prompting a police search, after she never returned from a morning run. Her body was later found in the woods near a jogging trail on the University of Georgia campus. Authorities determined Riley died from blunt force trauma.
Ibarra, the 26-year-old murder suspect, is a Venezuelan citizen who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in 2022. He was released by border officials while his immigration case was awaiting review, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Ibarra’s status as an undocumented immigrant has become a flash point in the heated debate over border security. President-elect Donald Trump and fellow Republicans have pointed to Riley as proof that President Biden hasn’t done enough to prevent potentially dangerous immigrants from illegally crossing the southern border, claiming that Riley would be alive today if not for the Biden administration’s immigration policies.
Ibarra has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts, including malice murder, three counts of felony murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, aggravated battery, obstructing a person making an emergency call, tampering with evidence and one “peeping Tom” charge.
Last week, prosecutor Sheila Ross said in her opening statement, "On Feb. 22, Jose Ibarra put on a black hat, a hoodie-style jacket and some black kitchen-style disposable gloves, and he went hunting for females on the University of Georgia campus.” Ross also pointed to forensic evidence, claiming that Ibarra’s DNA, and only his DNA, turned up under Riley’s fingernails after “she fought for her life.”
Defense attorney Dustin Kirby argued that the DNA is “circumstantial evidence” and would not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Ibarra killed Riley.
To read about what happened on day one of the bench trial, read more from NBC News: Prosecutors say DNA, fingerprint show Jose Ibarra killed Laken Riley
What was revealed in court on day 2 of the trial
Visible scratches on Ibarra’s arms: University of Georgia police officers, Sgt. Joshua Epps and Cpl. Rafael Sayan, testified to seeing scratches on Ibarra’s arms when they interviewed him on Feb. 23 outside his apartment, the day after Riley was found slain. Epps testified that they “looked like fingernail scratches” while Sayan, who questioned Ibarra in Spanish, testified that “he said that he had a scratch, but he didn’t exactly explain from where or how.”
Search of Ibarra’s apartment: Annie Moorman, a special agent and crime scene specialist with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, testified that she found a set of kitchen gloves similar to the ones police found in a bush at Ibarra’s apartment complex. Two tablets and seven cellphones were also seized. Moorman said no evidence of blood was found in the apartment.
Ibarra selfies show same clothing as suspect: FBI special agent Jamie Hipkiss testified that selfie photos found on Ibarra’s cellphone taken the day of Riley’s killing show him wearing clothing that was “consistent with” that of the killing suspect who was seen on video footage throwing out a black hat and navy blue jacket into a dumpster. Prosecutors said investigators recovered the jacket, which had Jose Ibarra and Riley’s DNA.
Recorded jail phone call between Ibarra and his wife: The prosecution played a recorded jail phone call from May 11 between Ibarra and his wife, Layling Franco, in which she repeatedly asked him, “What happened to the girl?” FBI specialist Abeisis Ramirez provided a Spanish-to-English translation of the call and said Franco “said that she thinks it’s crazy that they don’t have anyone else’s DNA — they only have his. And she said she doesn’t understand how someone can see someone dying and not call 911.”
Riley’s smartwatch data reveals her final moments: University of Georgia police officer and digital forensics expert Wesley Durkit extracted data from Riley’s Garmin running watch and cellphone. He testified that her moving speed abruptly slowed down at 9:10 a.m. on Feb. 22. Durkit testified that her heart rate dropped to zero beats per minute at 9:28 a.m.
Local runner spotted person in navy blue jacket: Sally Kirklewski, who was out running the trail on the campus the morning of Riley’s slaying, testified Monday. Kirklewski, a frequent runner on that trail, said she saw a person who appeared to be alone wearing a navy blue jacket with the hood up, wearing black gloves or mittens with dark pants and shoes alongside the trail. Prosecutors have said Ibarra was wearing a navy blue jacket when Riley was killed and allege that he threw the jacket in a dumpster at his apartment complex.