By Luis De Jesus
01 Jun 2024, 18:02 PM EDT
José Ibarra, an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela, pleaded “not guilty” to the murder of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at the University of Georgia. This case has been used by Republicans in the presidential campaign to criticize the immigration policies of Democratic President Joe Biden.
Ibarra, 26, was arrested the day after the murder, which occurred on February 22.
Laken Riley’s body was found in a wooded area of the campus and it is alleged that the migrant attacked her while she was jogging, hitting her with a rock until she was disfigured and suffocated. Additionally, she is accused of attempting to rape her before her murder.
An Athens Clarke County grand jury on May 8 indicted Ibarra on 10 counts, including malice murder, kidnapping and aggravated assault with intent to rape. He also faces charges of spying on another person in the college dormitories on the same day of Riley’s crime.
The Western Judicial Circuit Prosecutor’s Office is seeking a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, ruling out the death penalty, according to court documents cited by FOX.
The case has had a significant impact on state politics.
Republican lawmakers in Georgia quickly passed a new immigration law that requires police and sheriffs to verify the immigration status of detainees and notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement if they are undocumented.
This law was signed into law on May 1 by Governor Brian Kemp, becoming one of his legislative priorities.
José Ibarra’s defense maintains his innocence and is preparing for a trial that promises to be closely watched at both the state and national level, due to its political and social implications.
Keep reading:
• Venezuelan suspected of killing Laken Riley is charged with malicious murder and other charges
• Laken Riley’s father does not want his daughter’s death to be used politically
• Father of Laken Riley, the university student murdered in Georgia, asks to deport criminal immigrants