The man on trial for the murder of nursing student Laken Riley, Jose Ibarra, was convicted. Minutes ago, the conviction was made public.
The prosecution and defence agreed to a bench trial rather than a jury trial, and the Georgia judge found Ibarra guilty. This trial was heavily reliant on audio and video evidence.
Earlier this week, a video showed Ibarra unable to explain to police how he got new scratches and marks on his arms mere hours after Laken's murder.
In addition to presenting a video of Ibarra throwing a bloody sweater into a skip, the prosecution claims to have discovered Ibarra's DNA beneath Laken's fingernails.
The state played the 911 call that Laken made from his phone on February 22, 2024, just after nine in the morning.
There is a spooky quiet on the other end of the call, followed by breathing and pounding sounds. According to authorities, Ibarra killed Laken in Athens, Georgia, after attacking her with the intention of sexually assaulting her.
Ibarra allegedly choked Riley and repeatedly beat her in the head with a rock, according to the prosecution. The day she passed away, he was taken into custody.
Ibarra faces life in jail on charges of aggravated assault, malice murder, kidnapping, and other related offences. Ibarra will be sentenced by a judge at 9:30 AM PT, which is less than one hour away.
Source: TMZ.COM