Venezuelan sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Laken Riley

Venezuelan convicted of murdering a nursing student in Georgia Laken Riley he was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

The judge issued the verdict and sentence Wednesday after 26-year-old Jose Ibarra filed a motion for a jury trial.

Riley was killed in February while jogging on the University of Georgia campus. Prosecutors said Ibarra also tried to rape the 22-year-old by “strangling her” and “seriously disfigured her head by repeatedly striking her with a rock.”

During the trial, special prosecutor Sheila Ross told Judge Riley that she was “fighting for her life” and “her dignity” during the meeting with Ibarra.

As the verdict was read, Riley’s family and friends cried in the courtroom. Ibarra showed no emotion — even as Riley’s loved ones shared stories before the sentencing.

Riley’s murder added to the national conversation about immigration. Ibarra reportedly entered the country illegally in 2022 and was allowed to remain while a court heard his immigration case.

President-elect Donald Trump mentioned the issue multiple times during his campaign. He announced mass deportation of illegal immigrants upon returning to the country. His administration said the focus would initially be on people who committed crimes.

After learning of the verdict, Trump posted a message about Riley and her family on Truth Social.

“While the pain and heartbreak will last forever, hopefully this will help bring some peace and closure to her wonderful family who fought for justice, and ensure that other families don’t have to go through the same thing,” he said. “We love you, Laken, and our hearts will always be with you. It’s time to secure our border and remove these criminals and bandits from our country so that nothing like this can happen again!