Laken Riley's killer to spend the rest of his life in prison

By Kim Jarrett
The Center Square

A Venezuela man convicted of killing Laken Riley in Georgia will spend the rest of his life in prison, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Jose Ibarra, 26, was convicted on all 10 counts relating to Riley's Feb. 22 death and a separate Peeping Tom incident. He faced charges of killing Riley after abducting her off a trail near her Athens apartment and attempting to rape her.

Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard delivered his verdict Wednesday morning and sentencing in the afternoon. Ibarra's counsel opted for a bench trial rather than by jury.

Ibarra is a suspected member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and has been in America illegally since 2022, according to immigration officials. According to published reports, he was caught at the border and released; arrested in New York City and released again, without notice given to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and according to testimony, given a flight from New York to Georgia on taxpayer expense.

Life without the possibility of parole was the steepest penalty sought by Deborah Gonzalez, the district attorney for the Western Judicial Circuit. In a statement issued in May, Gonzalez said she decided with the "support of the victim's family."

Haggard heard from Riley's family and friends, who asked the judge to impose the maximum sentence.

"There is no end to the pain and suffering that he inflicted on our family and our friends," said Riley's mother, Allyson Phillips. "I am asking you to please give this monster life without any chance of parole so that he never gets the chance to hurt anyone else ever again."

Riley's death was a rallying cry for Republicans saying the country's open border policies were partly to blame.

"The blood is on their hands. Thankfully, the American people delivered a decisive mandate on November 5th," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, said on social media.

"This criminal should never been allowed to enter our country and he certainly should not have been allowed to stay after shamelessly breaking our laws," said Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. "Open border policies failed Laken Riley, and today's verdict is a reminder that the safety of our communities must remain our number one priority."

U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, who represents Athens in Congress, said on social media, "Laken's killer had a speedy trial. Now, he needs a slow death."