An illegal immigrant from Venezuela accused of killing a future nurse after approaching her on a University of Georgia campus reportedly received a life sentence Wednesday in front of the victim’s crying relatives.
Venezuelan Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, reportedly remained stoic as he was sentenced in a Georgia court in the United States for the murder of nursing student Laken Riley last February, the BBC reported.
That day, the 22-year-old young woman was running on the campus of the University of Georgia when her assailant allegedly approached her, in the middle of a “woman hunt,” before “hitting her in the head with a rock.” ”, the court heard since the trial opened on Friday.
For 18 long minutes, the victim would have fought “ferociously” for his life, according to the prosecutor in the file, who reported a call made to the police around 9:11 a.m., when his heart would have stopped beating around 9:28 a.m., according to data from the smart watch on his wrist.
Her body was found lifeless in a wooded area of the campus after she did not return from her run, while Ibarra was handcuffed the next day, according to the British media.
Traces of the accused’s DNA were found under the victim’s nails, showing that a fight took place between the two, according to the prosecutor.
In front of crying relatives, Judge H. Patrick Haggard ruled on Wednesday by finding the accused guilty on all ten counts, including murder, kidnapping with bodily injury and aggravated assault with intent to rape.
The man would have been sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole.
The name of the Venezuelan, who entered the United States illegally in September 2022, resonated during the American electoral campaign as Republicans reportedly used his example to hammer home the importance of closing the borders.
Especially since the 26-year-old immigrant was arrested in September 2023 and accused of having “acted in such a manner as to injure a child under the age of 17 and of violation of a driver’s license” in New York, but had been able to remain in the country despite everything, according to the BBC.
