Laken Riley trial highlights Biden-era immigration crisis as mom of slain cheerleader awaits justice

ATHENS, Ga. — "Angel mom" Jacqueline Medina, whose girl Lizbeth Medina was allegedly murdered by a Mexican amerciable immigrant successful December 2023, connected Wednesday joined a chorus of voices responding to the blameworthy verdict and sentencing for Laken Riley murderer Jose Ibarra, a chorus that included President-elect Donald Trump and his allies.

Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard recovered Ibarra, 26, blameworthy of 10 counts successful transportation with Riley's Feb. 22 murder. Those charges included 1 number of malice murder, 3 counts of felony murder, 1 number of kidnapping, 1 number of aggravated battle with intent to rape, 1 number of aggravated battery, 1 number of hindering a 911 call, 1 number of tampering with grounds and 1 number of being a "peeping Tom." 

Haggard sentenced Ibarra to beingness successful situation without the anticipation of parole aft proceeding unfortunate interaction statements from Riley's friends and household connected Wednesday afternoon.

"I americium profoundly moved to spot that Laken Riley’s household has received immoderate measurement of justice," Medina told Fox News Digital of the verdict successful a statement. "While nary verdict oregon sentencing tin ever erase the symptom of losing idiosyncratic truthful young and afloat of promise, we anticipation this brings them a tiny consciousness of closure successful their ongoing grief."

LAKEN RILEY MURDER: JUDGE SENTENCES COLLEGE STUDENT KILLER AFTER FAMILY ADDRESSES ‘MONSTER’ IN COURT

Laken Riley, a nursing pupil astatine the University of Georgia, was recovered dormant adjacent a water connected field connected Feb. 22, 2024. (Allyson Phillips/Facebook)

Medina said Riley and her girl "had truthful overmuch successful communal – they some dreamed of becoming nurses, were vibrant and afloat of potential, and were some victims of senseless violence."

"[T]hey some dreamed of becoming nurses, were vibrant and afloat of potential, and were some victims of senseless violence."

"Their stories punctual america of the devastating consequences these acts of cruelty permission behind," Medina said. "At the aforesaid time, I cannot assistance but bespeak connected our ain combat for justice. Our lawsuit is being held down closed chambers, and we are near successful the acheronian astir captious developments. Just yesterday, we learned astir the question for an insanity plea, which has present delayed the tribunal process by an further 2 months. Our trial, primitively acceptable for December 2, 2024 – astir a twelvemonth aft Lizbeth’s execution – has been pushed backmost adjacent further."

TRUMP WIN MOVES SLAIN CHEERLEADER'S MOM TO TEARS AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FACES MURDER TRIAL

Medina feels she has been near successful the acheronian passim the ineligible process, and the caller hold has compounded her family's "frustration and heartbreak."

Jacqueline Medina came location to find her daughter, Lizbeth Medina, dormant successful the bathtub of their location aft she had not seen oregon heard from the 16-year-old that afternoon. (Instagram)

"Our families merit transparency, and this lawsuit should person the aforesaid precedence and urgency arsenic Laken Riley’s and Jocelyn Nungury’s grieving families[.] We each stock the aforesaid symptom and the aforesaid goal: to spot justness served for our loved ones," Medina said. "Just arsenic Laken’s household has received a measurement toward closure, we excessively agelong for justness for Lizbeth. Through each of this, we are agreed successful our sorrow, our resilience, and our enactment for 1 different arsenic we navigate these hard times together."

LAKEN RILEY MURDER: FAMILY OF SLAIN UGA STUDENT SOBS IN COURT AS WITNESSES DESCRIBE CRIME SCENE EVIDENCE

Laken Riley (Laken Riley/Facebook)

Politicians besides reacted to the verdict successful statements to Fox News Digital connected Wednesday. 

"I americium blessed with the verdict but it is truly excessively little, excessively late," Tom Homan, President-elect Trump's prime to pb Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) nether his administration, said successful a statement. "The beingness of Laken was tragically taken by a monster that should ne'er person been here. This is connected Biden, Harris and Mayorkas."

LAKEN RILEY'S ALLEGED KILLER JOSE IBARRA FLEW FROM ‘GROUND ZERO’ OF MIGRANT CRISIS TO GEORGIA

The White House did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital.

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

Brandon Judd, a Border Patrol cause and president of the National Border Patrol Council, said helium is "happy the household got closure, but closure volition not bring Laken back."

"Laken’s execution falls straight connected the shoulders of President Biden. He enactment authorities implicit the information of U.S. citizens, and Laken paid for his lust for powerfulness with her life. While the verdict is welcome, Laken should beryllium live today," Judd said.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN LAKEN RILEY MURDER ‘FAST-TRACKING’ TO LIFE IN PRISON: ATTORNEY

Phil Holloway, a Georgia-based transgression defence lawyer and erstwhile adjunct territory attorney, said, "Laken Riley died astatine the hands of a monster."

Jose Ibarra listens done an interpreter during his proceedings astatine Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Nov. 20, 2024, successful Athens, Ga. (Miguel Martinez/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP/Pool)

"Joe Biden and the open-borders concern complex, including leftist sanctuary metropolis policies, led her close into his hands. Her humor is connected Joe Biden's hands. He should person been impeached implicit this. It's not excessively precocious for that either," Holloway said. "This should nonstop the connection large and wide to sanctuary cities astir the federation that we volition not sacrifice different Laken Riley astatine the [altar] of wokeism."

"Laken’s murderer volition ne'er respire escaped aerial again. He volition dice successful a Georgia prison."

Holloway added that Ibarra was sentenced to the "absolute maximum imaginable situation term," adding that the "evidence was overwhelming, and this condemnation volition not beryllium overturned connected appeal."

In their unfortunate interaction statements work successful the courtroom connected Wednesday, Riley's household remembered her arsenic a loving young pistillate who was dedicated to her religion and her aboriginal vocation arsenic a nurse.

"Your honor, connected February 22nd of 2024, our household and friends were fixed a beingness condemnation without a accidental of parole. Jose Ibarra took nary pity connected my scared, panicked and struggling child," Riley's mother, Allyson Philips, said Wednesday. "There is nary extremity to the pain, suffering and nonaccomplishment that we person experienced oregon volition proceed to endure connected that horrific day. My precious girl was attacked, beaten and shown nary mercy. She fought for her beingness and dignity and to prevention herself from being brutally raped. This sick, twisted and evil coward showed nary respect for Laken oregon quality life."

From left, Connolly Huth, roommate of Laken Riley, Lauren Phillips, sister of Laken Riley, and Sofia Magana, roommate of Laken Riley, respond arsenic Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard announces the verdict successful the proceedings of Jose Ibarra astatine Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Nov. 20, 2024, successful Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP/Pool)

Philips described her girl arsenic "smart, hardworking, kind, thoughtful, and astir importantly, a kid of God." She "had a idiosyncratic narration with Jesus, and she loved being the hands and feet of his hands and feet successful this world," Philips said.

"She shared her emotion for our Lord with others done her ngo trips, moving with aged astatine the nursing homes and done her nursing career," Philips said. "Laken was an astonishing friend, sister, niece, girl and granddaughter. Anyone who knew her knew astir her loving heart. Laken's beingness was not the lone beingness taken connected that time that Jose Ibarra attacked her. The beingness of her household and friends was taken, too. None of america volition ever beryllium the same."

Laken Riley (Laken Riley/Facebook)

In a gut-wrenching diary introduction that Riley wrote successful December 2023, according to her stepfather, John Philips, the 22-year-old wrote, "To my aboriginal husband, I privation you to cognize that I'm reasoning astir you and moving each time to go the champion woman I tin beryllium … and focusing connected God and what helium defines arsenic a faithful Christian wife, truthful that I tin champion embody those characteristics."

Prosecutors said Ibarra, a 26-year-old amerciable migrant from Venezuela, attacked and killed Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student, portion she was jogging on trails adjacent Lake Herrick connected the University of Georgia campus successful Athens connected the greeting of Feb. 22.

LAKEN RILEY MURDER TRIAL: PROSECUTORS PLACE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT AT SCENE IN OPENING STATEMENTS

John Phillips, stepfather of Laken Riley, reacts arsenic Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard announces the verdict successful the proceedings of Jose Ibarra astatine Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Nov. 20, 2024, successful Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP/Pool)

"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," authoritative Sheila Ross said successful her opening connection connected Nov. 15. Riley's sister teared up upon proceeding Ross' archetypal statements. 

LAKEN RILEY MURDER TRIAL: PROSECUTORS PLACE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT AT SCENE IN OPENING STATEMENTS

Ross said Ibarra saw Riley moving on the frequented trials connected UGA's field conscionable aft 9 a.m. connected Feb. 22, attacked her, dragged her 64 feet into a wooded country and repeatedly bushed her caput with a rock, sidesplitting her.

"When Laken Riley refused to beryllium his rape victim, helium bashed her caput successful with a stone repeatedly," Ross said connected Nov. 15.

Jose Ibarra listens done an interpreter during his proceedings astatine Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Nov. 20, 2024, successful Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP/Pool)

Riley attempted to telephone 911 astatine 9:11 a.m., but the telephone was disconnected. Prosecutors besides said Ibarra's fingerprint was connected the bottommost of Riley's phone, wherever 1 mightiness extremity a telephone call.

"It is nary coincidence that his thumbprint is connected her phone," Ross said Wednesday.

WATCH: AUTHORITIES WAKE JOSE IBARRA DAY AFTER LAKEN RILEY'S MURDER:

Ibarra and his brothers, besides in the United States illegally from Venezuela, lived successful an flat gathering little than a fractional mile from the on-campus parkland wherever Riley was running.

The defendants' attorney, Dustin Kirby, argued successful his opening connection that grounds would not beryllium beyond a tenable uncertainty that Ibarra killed Riley. He said it would instrumentality "gymnastics" for the prosecution to reason Ibarra killed Riley with what helium described arsenic "circumstantial evidence."

LAKEN RILEY MURDER: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT IN GEORGIA COLLEGE STUDENT SLAYING ASKS TO HIDE CERTAIN EVIDENCE

Allyson Phillips, left, parent of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing pupil killed this year, reacts arsenic John Phillips, stepfather of Laken Riley, comforts her during Jose Ibarra's proceedings astatine Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Nov. 15, 2024, successful Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP/Pool)

"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," Kirby said connected Nov. 15.

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

The Athens-Clarke County tribunal heard from 29 of the prosecution's witnesses implicit 3 days, with 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.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN LAKEN RILEY MURDER ‘FAST-TRACKING’ TO LIFE IN PRISON: ATTORNEY

Prosecutor Sheila Ross speaks portion holding an grounds container during the proceedings of Jose Ibarra astatine Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, 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 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 achromatic Adidas-style chapeau that prosecutors accidental Jose was wearing connected Feb. 22 erstwhile constabulary questioned Diego connected Feb. 23. DNA matching Riley's was recovered connected that aforesaid hat.

Athens-Clarke County constabulary serviceman Zachary Davis points retired the overgarment helium collected from a dumpster successful a photograph arsenic helium testifies during the proceedings of Jose Ibarra astatine Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Nov. 15, 2024, successful Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP/Pool)

"The facts and the grounds successful this lawsuit should permission you with immoderate tenable doubt," Kaitlyn Beck said successful her closing statement connected Wednesday, adding aboriginal that "while the grounds successful this lawsuit is voluminous, it is circumstantial."

Much of the defense's arguments suggested Diego whitethorn person had thing to bash with Riley's murder. Beck said successful her closing connection that "it's much than imaginable that 1 brother's DNA would get connected different brother's clothes."

Watch: Laken Riley, Jose Ibarra seen connected way camera footage time of murder

"I hold with the state, but Laken Riley was physically fit. She was fast. She could person outrun [Jose]. But there's different fishy successful this lawsuit who was taller, who was much physically fit, who was wearing sneakers connected the time of the murder. And that is Diego Ibarra," Beck said.

Prosecutors, however, noted that information camera footage from a eating hallway connected UGA's campus, wherever Diego worked, showed Diego arriving and leaving enactment connected Feb. 22.

Argenis and Diego person been subpoenaed to attest arsenic witnesses for the defense, but the tribunal yet decided not to let their grounds due to the fact that they are presently progressive successful their ain transgression cases. Jose's defence attorney, John Donnelly, mentioned that Diego's defence lawyer advised that helium should not attest during Jose's proceedings portion helium is presently charged with greenish paper fraud.

Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard listens during Jose Ibarra's proceedings successful Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Nov. 15, 2024, successful Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP/Pool)

UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark antecedently described the execution arsenic a "crime of opportunity" during a February property conference.

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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.

His older brother, Diego Ibarra, who worked concisely successful a UGA cafeteria earlier his apprehension successful February, is charged with greenish paper fraud and had ties to a known Venezuelan pack successful the U.S. called Tren de Aragua, according to national tribunal documents.

Laken Riley (Allyson Phillips/Facebook)

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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."

Fox News' Adam Shaw contributed to this report.