Man convicted of murder in death of Laken Riley, Georgia nursing student killed on jogging trail

A judge has convicted the man on trial for the killing of Laken Riley, a nursing student in Georgia whose death in February shook the college town where she studied, as well as the country. 

Jose Ibarra, 26, was found guilty of murder and other charges related to Riley's death. Ibarra, an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant, entered the United States illegally in 2022, officials said, but he was allowed to remain in the country to pursue his immigration case. His status helped bring the national debate over border laws to a boiling point earlier this year, as prominent Republicans, including President-elect Donald Trump, blamed President Biden's policies for Riley's death.

The decision by Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard ended a string of hearings that began last week. Ibarra waived his right to a jury trial after pleading not guilty to a 10-count indictment brought against him in the wake of Riley's killing, which meant the case would be heard and decided solely by the judge. He also declined to testify during the trial.