Who is José Ibarra, the Venezuelan sentenced to life in prison and condemned by Trump: “Time to secure our border”

A Venezuelan man has been convicted of the killing of Laken Riley, a student who was murdered while out jogging in Athens, Georgia, earlier this year.

In February, Riley was found dead in Oconee Forest Park, located at the University of Georgia. She had died from blunt force trauma to her head, as well as being asphyxiated. A former undergraduate at UGA, the 22-year-old was a nursing student at Augusta University at the time of her murder.

Ibarra sentenced after guilty verdict

On Wednesday, José Ibarra, a 26-year-old immigrant who had entered the United States illegally, was found guilty on 10 charges at Athens-Clarke County Superior Court. Per CNN, Ibarra’s charges included murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape and tampering with evidence.

Judge H. Patrick Haggard handed down the verdict after a four-day trial, sentencing Ibarra to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The court case was conducted as a bench trial, which means there is no jury; instead, the judge alone reaches a verdict after hearing the cases for prosecution and defense.

“No end to the pain, suffering and loss”

In a statement read out at Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Riley’s mother Allyson Phillips said, per ABC6 Action News: “There is no end to the pain, suffering and loss that we have experienced and will continue to endure.” Calling Ibarra a “monster”, Phillips added: “This horrific individual robbed us all of our hopes and dreams for Laken.”

Ibarra came to US two years ago

In 2022, Ibarra was picked up by American border authorities after illegally entering the US. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told ABC7 in a statement that he was subsequently “paroled and released for further processing”.

ICE additionally revealed that police in New York City arrested and released Ibarra in September 2023, after he was accused of “acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation”. Before Riley’s killing, Ibarra was also arrested for shoplifting in Athens, court documents say.

In March, the murder led the US House of Representatives to pass a new immigration bill named the Laken Riley Act. The legislation compels ICE “to issue detainers and take custody of illegal aliens who commit theft-related crimes”, according to Mike Collins, the Republican House representative for Georgia’s 10th congressional district.

What was Trump’s reaction to Ibarra conviction?

In the wake of Ibarra’s conviction on Wednesday, US president-elect Donald Trump, who has promised to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants once he returns to the White House next year, wrote on social media: “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.

“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!”

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