Haunting final photo of Laken Riley taken moments before 'pervert' illegal migrant 'murdered her'

Nursing pupil Laken Riley's last moments were shared successful a haunting caller photograph taken minutes earlier an amerciable migrant allegedly killed her.  

Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old undocumented migrant, is accused of murdering the nursing student on February 22 arsenic she was retired for a run after Riley foiled a rape attempt.

Ibarra, from Venezuela, arrived successful the United States from via El Paso, Texas, illegally successful 2022 but was paroled for 'further processing.' His apprehension successful this lawsuit sparked renewed statement astir the borderline crisis and amerciable migration.

On Friday morning, Ibarra sat motionless arsenic Georgia peculiar authoritative Sheila Ross flashed the past known photograph of 22-year-old Riley crossed the screen.

The representation was taken connected CCTV cameras adjacent her location connected the University of Georgia field astatine 9.05am connected the time of her death.

She was holding her iPhone successful her near hand, wearing activewear and her noise-canceling AirPods.

Just six minutes later, Riley activated the SOS relation of her compartment phone, connecting her to 911. She did not talk during the call, which lasted conscionable 1 minute. Authorities attempted to telephone her back, but did not get immoderate response.

According to information collected by a smartwatch she was wearing connected the run, Riley's bosom stopped at 9.28am.

'The grounds volition amusement that Laken fought,' Ross said. 'She fought for her life. She fought for her dignity.'

In opening statements connected Friday morning, she said: 'When Laken Riley refused to beryllium his rape victim, helium bashed her skull successful with a rock, repeatedly.'

Ross claimed determination was important forensic grounds near down tying the crime to Ibarra.

'In her fight, she caused this defendent to permission forensic grounds behind,' she said.

'She marked her slayer for the full satellite to see. It is his DNA. Only his DNA, underneath Laken's close fingernails... He near down his thumbprint connected her iPhone, which was recovered adjacent her assemblage astatine the transgression scene.'

Ross said the forensic grounds unsocial should beryllium capable to warrant a blameworthy verdict.

The tribunal heard that Ibarra's DNA was a nonstop lucifer to the DNA nether Riley's fingernails, and was '10 cardinal times much probable than a coincidental match.' 

Beyond that, she revealed determination is integer and video grounds tying Ibarra to the crime.

In particular, CCTV footage identified Ibarra arsenic helium dumped a bloody overgarment successful a dumpster adjacent his home, 15 minutes aft Riley's bosom stopped.

That overgarment was aboriginal seized and taken for forensic testing, revealing a substance of Riley's DNA and Ibarra's DNA.

Long, brunette strands of hairsbreadth were wrapped astir a fastener connected the overgarment which were 'consistent with Riley's hairsbreadth and forcibly removed from her head.'

Riley's assemblage was recovered little than an hr aft she was reported missing, adjacent a water connected the University of Georgia campus. She'd been a pupil determination until 2023, erstwhile she transferred to Augusta.

Her roommates reported her missing aft becoming acrophobic that she had been retired for longer than usual.

They statesman walking her accustomed moving route, utilizing Find My Friends to way wherever she whitethorn be. It was portion walking the way they noticed that, according to the tracking data, she had not moved for hours.

They reached the determination wherever her past determination had pinged, and recovered 1 of her Airpods connected the ground.

The duo took a photograph to enactment wherever they recovered it, and past picked it up, returned location to reconnect to WiFi and called constabulary to study Riley missing.

'Even with her integer profile... it took astir 25 minutes for [the officer] to find her,' Ross said.

'This is simply a precise forested area, she was disconnected the moving trail... She was hidden nether a tree' and covered successful foliage. 

The tribunal heard that her breasts were exposed and her underwear was forcibly torn. A intersexual battle and rape kit returned a antagonistic result.

She had suffeed 'severe injuries' to her head, and the serviceman 'could archer she was dead. She was cold.'

First responders performed CPR regardless, but Riley was tragically declared dead.

There is nary grounds the duo knew 1 another, constabulary allege. They described the transgression arsenic 1 of 'opportunity.' 

Ibarra had erstwhile run-ins with instrumentality enforcement since arriving successful the United States illegally.

He was paroled successful 2022 for 'further processing' aft entering America, and was past arrested successful New York City successful September 2013. Police allegedly released him 'before a detainer could beryllium issued.'

New York officials claimed determination was nary grounds of Ibarra's arrest. 

His older brother, who besides entered the United States illegally, has ties to Venezuelan pack Tren de Aragua.

Republicans, including President-elect Donald Trump, blamed Riley's decease connected President Joe Biden and his borderline policies. 

Ibarra required a translator during tribunal proceedings. Earlier this week, helium requested a judge-only trial, which was approved.

He was indicted connected 10 counts, including charges of murder, kidnapping and aggravated battle with intent to rape.

Ibarra's ineligible squad had sought to person definite grounds suppressed, but the petition was denied.