"JUSTICE FOR LAKEN RILEY!" were the words of President-elect Trump as a judge handed over a guilty verdict to a Venezuelan man accused of killing the Georgia student. On Wednesday, Jose Ibarra was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
"The Illegal who killed our beloved Laken Riley was just found GUILTY on all counts for his horrific crimes," Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.
"Although the pain and heartbreak will last forever, hopefully this can help bring some peace and closure to her wonderful family who fought for Justice, and to ensure that other families don't have to go through what they have," he went on to add. "We love you, Laken, and our hearts will always be with you. It is time to secure our Border, and remove these criminals and thugs from our Country, so nothing like this can happen again!"
After a four-day trial, Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard convicted Ibarra of all charges, which include murder, aggravated assault with an attempt to rape, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, and others.
The 22-year-old student was jogging in a park on the University of Georgia campus in February when she was attacked by Ibarra. Authorities said that she died of blunt force trauma.
During the trial, prosecutors claimed that Ibarra had attacked her with the intention of rape. However, the defense stated that while Riley was murdered, her death's link to Ibarra was only "circumstantial."
Before the sentencing Riley's mother, Allyson Phillips, requested Judge Haggard to show no mercy to Ibarra who killed her "precious daughter."
"There is no end to the pain, suffering and loss that we have experienced or will continue to endure," Phillips said during family impact statements in court. "On that horrific day, my precious daughter was attacked, beaten and shown no mercy. She fought her life and dignity and to save herself from being brutally raped," she continued.
"This sick, twisted and evil coward showed no regard for Laken or human life," Phillips said. "We are asking the same be done to him."
Riley's murder sparked a nationwide debate, with Republicans pointing at the Biden administration's immigration efforts. The 26-year-old had entered the U.S. illegally in September 2022. Despite being apprehended at the border, he was allowed to stay in the U.S. while making his immigration case, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said.
During his speech accepting the Presidential nomination at the National Republican Convention in July, Trump referenced Riley's killing, saying: "Yet another American life was stolen by a criminal alien set free by this administration. Tonight, America, this is my vow: I will not let these killers and criminals into our country."
Originally published on HNGN.
