Laken Riley murder: Prosecution reveals evidence against Jose Ibarra
JOSE ANTONIO IBARRA
ATHENS, Ga. - Prosecutors have revealed more about the evidence they say they have against accused killer Jose Antonio Ibarra and the events leading to the death of Augusta University nursing student Laken Riley.
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.
Peeping Tom incident linked to Laken Riley murder
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.