Laken Riley murder: Jose Ibarra hearing postponed over DNA evidence
ATHENS, Ga. - A hearing for Jose Ibarra, accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley, has been rescheduled to Nov. 1.
Originally set for this Friday, the hearing aimed to address DNA testing related to the case.
As of last week, neither the defense nor the prosecution had received the data backing the DNA evidence.
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Prosecutors previously announced evidence against Ibarra, including a thumbprint from Riley's phone, DNA from her fingernails, and video footage.
Ibarra's defense argues that the DNA evidence is unreliable.
JOSE ANTONIO IBARRA
What Happened to Laken Riley?
Riley was brutally murdered during her morning run on Feb. 22. Her body was found by police shortly after she was reported missing by a friend in a wooded area near Lake Herrick and UGA's intramural fields.
Ibarra, originally from Venezuela, entered the country illegally in 2022 and was living in Athens. He was charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another.
An autopsy showed Riley died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Evidence against Jose Ibarra
Investigators say a man who looks like Ibarra was seen throwing bloody gloves and a bloody jacket with long dark hair into a dumpster less than a half hour after her death. That dumpster was located about a half mile away from the murder site.
The documents also reveal prosecutors have a thumbprint from Riley’s phone, DNA from her fingernails, and video footage. Prosecutors say the thumbprint on Riley's phone belongs to Ibarra.
Ibarra's attorneys filed a motion earlier this month to try to remove two cell phones, a cheek swab, and several social media accounts from the evidence, arguing that they were collected by law enforcement without a warrant. They also claim the DNA evidence collected is unreliable, something the prosecution disputes.
Ibarra's murder trial is set to begin on Nov. 13 in Athens.