Laken Riley murder: Defense, prosecution weigh whether Jose Ibarra's brothers can testify at trial

ATHENS, Ga. — Defense attorneys for Jose Ibarra, the fishy accused of murdering Augusta University pupil Laken Riley connected the University of Georgia field successful February, volition proceed bringing witnesses guardant Wednesday, perchance including Ibarra's 2 brothers.

The Athens-Clarke County tribunal heard from 29 witnesses implicit 3 days successful Ibarra's execution trial, which began Nov. 15, with authoritative Sheila Ross highlighting grounds ranging from Ibarra's DNA connected cardinal pieces of grounds to information camera footage and cellphone information placing him astatine the determination of the transgression astatine the clip Riley was killed.

"On Feb. 22, Jose Ibarra enactment connected a achromatic hat, a hoodie-style overgarment and immoderate achromatic kitchen-style disposable gloves, and helium went hunting for females connected the University of Georgia campus," Ross said successful her opening connection Nov. 15.

Ibarra, 26, is charged with 10 counts successful Riley's execution and a "peeping Tom" incidental connected the greeting of Feb. 22. Prosecutors argued the peeping Tom incidental is related to the onslaught against Riley, 22, due to the fact that it happened conscionable implicit an hr earlier she was killed and showed Ibarra's alleged intent to prey connected women the greeting of Feb. 22.

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Jose Ibarra appears astatine his proceedings successful Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, successful Athens, Ga. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)

Witnesses testified that DNA matching Ibarra's was recovered successful Riley's fingernails and connected a overgarment with Riley's hairsbreadth recovered from a dumpster adjacent his flat complex.

Ibarra's defence attorneys person truthful acold argued that grounds against the Venezuelan nationalist is circumstantial, and they person pointed fingers toward Jose's brothers, Diego and Argenis Ibarra, who stock similarities with Jose successful their DNA makeup. Diego was besides seen wearing the aforesaid black, Adidas-style chapeau prosecutors accidental Jose was wearing Feb. 22 erstwhile constabulary questioned Diego Feb. 23. DNA matching Riley's was recovered connected that aforesaid hat.

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A chapeau allegedly belonging to Jose Ibarra is presented arsenic grounds during the proceedings for Ibarra successful Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, successful Athens, Ga.  (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Poo)

"If that happens, and the presumption of innocence is respected, determination should not beryllium capable grounds to person you beyond a tenable uncertainty that Mr. Ibarra is blameworthy of the crimes charged," defence lawyer Dustin Kirby said Monday.

Argenis and Diego person been subpoenaed to attest for the defense, but whether they really tin is inactive up successful the aerial aft immoderate backmost and distant betwixt the defense, the prosecution and Judge Patrick Haggard Tuesday day erstwhile Diego appeared successful tribunal to testify. 

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Allyson Phillips, 2nd from left, parent of Laken Riley, reacts arsenic John Phillips, stepfather of Riley, comforts her during the proceedings of Jose Ibarra astatine Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, successful Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)

Diego's defence lawyer argued to Jose's attorney, John Donnelly, that Diego should not attest astatine Jose's trial, Donnelly said. Judge Haggard advised that the tribunal should not proceed with Diego's testimony, and past the prosecution and defence met to sermon the substance down closed doors.

The defense's 2nd witness, Stephanie Slaton, lived successful an flat adjacent to the Ibarra household astatine the clip of Riley's murder. She testified that she spoke to Diego Ibarra Feb. 23, the time aft Riley died, portion "a lot" of constabulary were walking astir successful the country of the complex. 

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From left, Connolly Huth, roommate of Laken Riley, and Lauren Phillips, Riley's younger sister, go affectional during the proceedings for Jose Ibarra astatine the Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, successful Athens, Ga.  (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)

Diego Ibarra suggested helium did not cognize wherefore constabulary were walking astir and asked Slaton what had happened. Slaton, successful turn, explained that idiosyncratic had "passed away" down their flat complex. Two constabulary officers past approached them and asked what they were talking about. Slaton answered them, and they walked away, she said.

Slaton past testified that Diego, whom she had a intersexual narration with astatine the time, utilized a translator app to archer her successful English, "If you archer them, I volition archer them you did it, and past I volition termination you too."

WATCH: POLICE ENTER JOSE IBARRA'S APARTMENT:

On cross-examination, Slaton admitted she could not speculate what Diego meant by "if you archer them" due to the fact that helium had been unfamiliar with Riley's execution and the crushed constabulary were walking astir their flat building. She besides admitted she had been aggravated astatine Diego for having relations with different woman.

On Monday, the 2nd time of Ibarra's trial, the tribunal heard a recorded situation telephone telephone betwixt Ibarra and his wife, Layling Franco, that was played aloud and translated by an FBI expert who spoke fluent Spanish. Judge Haggard connected Tuesday ruled that the translated telephone could not beryllium submitted arsenic evidence.

Federal prosecutors accidental Tren de Aragua members often deterioration Chicago Bulls clothing, adjacent erstwhile they person nary ties to Chicago and are not fans of the team. Investigators recovered this photograph among aggregate images of Diego Ibarra, a suspected subordinate of the gang, wearing Chicago Bulls items. (Middle District of Georgia)

"She said that she thinks it's brainsick that they don't person anyone else's DNA. They lone person his. And she says she doesn't recognize however idiosyncratic tin spot idiosyncratic dying and not calling [sic] 911," FBI expert Abeisis Ramirez testified successful tribunal Monday portion translating the telephone for the prosecution.

Ibarra and his brothers were in the United States illegally from Venezuela astatine the clip of their respective arrests aft Riley's murder. Diego is charged with greenish paper fraud aft showing constabulary a fake ID connected Feb. 23, and Argenis has been placed connected an migration hold. 

Prosecutor Sheila Ross speaks portion holding an grounds container during the proceedings of Jose Ibarra astatine the Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, successful Athens, Ga.  (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)

Ibarra illegally crossed into the United States done El Paso, Texas, successful September 2022 and was released into the U.S. via parole, ICE and DHS sources antecedently told Fox News.

The 3 brothers lived successful an flat gathering little than a fractional mile from the on-campus parkland wherever Riley was moving the greeting of Feb. 22. Their flat analyzable backed up to a shortcut that leads to moving trails on UGA's field wherever Riley was recovered dormant successful a wooded area, partially bare and covered successful leaves, that afternoon. She died of blunt unit trauma and asphyxiation, according to a Georgia Bureau of Investigation aesculapian examiner.

The country wherever Laken Riley’s assemblage was recovered adjacent Lake Herrick connected the University of Georgia’s field successful Athens, Ga., Feb. 24, 2024.  (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital)

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ICE antecedently confirmed to Fox News Digital that Jose Ibarra had been arrested by the New York Police Department a twelvemonth aft helium entered the U.S. successful August 2023 and was "charged with acting successful a mode to injure a kid little than 17 and a centrifugal conveyance licence violation."

Diego Ibarra, who worked concisely astatine a UGA cafeteria earlier his apprehension successful February, had ties to a known Venezuelan pack successful the U.S., Tren de Aragua, according to national tribunal documents.