Current:Home > ScamsMan accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley pleads not guilty in Georgia court -WealthSync Hub
Man accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley pleads not guilty in Georgia court
View
Date:2025-04-14 20:09:52
A man accused of killing a nursing student whose body was found on the University of Georgia campus pleaded not guilty Friday to murder and other charges in her death.
A grand jury in early May returned an indictment charging Jose Ibarra with murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping and other crimes in the February killing of Laken Hope Riley. The 10-count indictment accuses Ibarra of hitting the Augusta University College of Nursing student in the head, asphyxiating her and pulling up her clothing with the intent to rape her.
The killing immediately became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration because Ibarra, who is from Venezuela, entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and was allowed to stay to pursue his immigration case. Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, blamed Riley's death on President Joe Biden and his border policies.
Riley's death gave traction to a Georgia bill requiring jailers to check the immigration status of people in their custody and to apply to help enforce federal immigration laws. When he signed the bill, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, said it "became one of our top priorities following the senseless death of Laken Riley at the hands of someone in this country illegally who had already been arrested even after crossing the border."
Riley's body was found Feb. 22 near running trails after a friend told police she had not returned from a morning run, and police have said her killing appeared to be a random attack. Ibarra, 26, was arrested the next day and has been held in the Athens-Clarke County Jail without bond since then.
Judge H. Patrick Haggard said he's hoping for a trial in the fall.
- In:
- Immigration
- Georgia
- Murder
veryGood! (43)
Related
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Georgia's Charlie Condon wins 2024 Golden Spikes Award as top college baseball player
- Yes, carrots are good for you. But there is one downside of overconsumption.
- Elon Musk’s Ex-Wife Talulah Riley Marries Love Actually’s Thomas Brodie-Sangster
- Bodycam footage shows high
- NASCAR driver, Mexican native Daniel Suarez celebrates becoming American citizen
- Abortion clinics reinvented themselves after Dobbs. They're still struggling
- FBI offers up to $10,000 reward for information about deadly New Mexico wildfires
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- Water emergency halts tourist arrivals at Italy’s popular Capri island
Ranking
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- Cybertruck sales are picking up: Could the polarizing EV push Tesla's market share higher?
- 'We'll bring in the CIA': Coaches discuss disallowed Stanley Cup Finals Game 6 goal
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Wing Woman (Freestyle)
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- Horoscopes Today, June 22, 2024
- Elon Musk’s Ex-Wife Talulah Riley Marries Love Actually’s Thomas Brodie-Sangster
- Car dealerships in North America revert to pens and paper after cyberattacks on software provider
Recommendation
Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
6 people shot in Rochester, New York, park as early morning argument erupts in gunfire
2028 LA Olympics: Track going before swimming will allow Games to start 'with a bang'
Pregnant Francesca Farago Reveals Why Planning the Babies' Nursery Has Been So Stressful
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
What Paul McCartney said about Steven Van Zandt and other 'Disciple' HBO doc revelations
Panthers vs. Oilers recap, winners, losers: Edmonton ties Stanley Cup Final with Game 6 win
The Wayback Machine, a time machine for the web