Laken Riley murder: Delay looms in Jose Ibarra hearing over DNA evidence

ATHENS, Ga. - A motions hearing in the murder trial of Jose Antonio Ibarra, the man accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley on the University of Georgia campus in February, may be delayed. 

Court documents filed in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court indicate data from DNA evidence collected during the investigation has not been received.  

"Neither Defendant, nor the State have been provided the underlying data concerning DNA testing in this case despite repeated requests by both," a motion for continuance filed on Tuesday reads. "Without that data, Defendant, cannot properly evaluate whether scientific methods were properly applied to this case." 

No word on if the judge will grant a continuance. 

Ibarra's trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 13.

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.

Arrest Warrant outlines UGA murder

According to the warrants, Riley was killed between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Feb. 22. The warrants say Ibarra "physically" prevented Riley from making or completing a 911 call and used an "object" to cause great bodily harm, "disfiguring her skull." The warrants also indicate he dragged her from the intramural fields to a secluded area and concealed her death.

The indictment says Ibarra concealed a jacket and gloves, leading to the evidence tampering charge. It also says that on the day of Riley’s killing, Ibarra had peered into the window of an apartment in a university housing building, invading the privacy of a person whose name was redacted, which is the basis for the peeping Tom charge.

It remains unknown why Riley was killed. Bond was denied to Ibarra during his first court appearance on Feb. 24.

During the search for Riley's killer, Jose Ibarra's brother, 29-year-old Diego Ibarra, was also arrested. It was discovered that Diego Ibarra had a fraudulent green card.

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Peeping Tom incident linked to Laken Riley murder 

In court filings, Special Assistant District Attorney Sheila Ross revealed Ibarra had peeped through the windows of a UGA student's dormitory 73 minutes before the discovery of Riley's body, which was found 1,000 feet away along a trail near UGA’s Intramural Fields.

Those court documents state the UGA student called 911 at 7:57 a.m. after spotting the person peering through her window at her front door. UGA police responded, but the suspect took off. Police say the man, who prosecutors have identified as Ibarra, attempted to open her front door. 

At 9:10 a.m., UGA police received another 911 call, this time from Riley. Prosecutors say Ibarra disconnected that call. 

Just 14 minutes later, her mother tried multiple times to reach her daughter by phone, court records revealed. Alarmed by the lack of response, she called her friends to see if they had heard from her. They began searching and at 12:07 p.m., they called 911 to report Riley was missing. 

According to court documents, it was 31 minutes later when her "lifeless, beaten, and partially unclothed body" was found in a wooded area 65 feet off the running trail. 
The brief goes on to describe the suspect: 

"At the time of both incidents described above, Defendant Ibarra was wearing the same clothing; the same plastic gloves; and the same facial hair. These details are important because Defendant Ibarra was captured on various video cameras around [UGA student’s] dormitory and near the Milledge Avenue Extension that leads to the running trails that Laken Riley utilized." 

Ibarra’s attorney argues the peeping Tom charge should be severed from the other nine charges, but the prosecution disagrees: 

"Because these incidents are connected by time, location, motive, and items of evidence, Defendant’s motion should be denied." 

The prosecution argues that Ibarra’s actions the morning of Feb. 22, 2024, was "part of a continuous single scheme" which ultimately led to the murder of Riley. 

"He encountered Laken Riley approximately 60 minutes later where, the evidence will show, he attempted to sexually assault her. When Laken Riley fought the Defendant’s attempt to sexually assault her, he murdered her," the court document reveals. 

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.