A judge is set to hear arguments Friday on a motion for a new trial from Jose Antonio Ibarra, the Venezuelan man convicted in the killing of nursing student Laken Riley.
Ibarra, who was found guilty in November 2024 of murder and other charges in the February 2024 death of the 22-year-old, is challenging his conviction on constitutional grounds.
PREVIOUS STORY: Jose Ibarra found guilty for murder of Laken Riley, sentenced to life without parole
Ibarra’s attorneys argue his rights were violated when the trial judge denied a delay so defense experts could review key DNA evidence and allowed contested cellphone data into evidence.
They also contend the search warrants for that cellphone data lacked probable cause and take issue with the software used to analyze DNA. Ibarra waived his right to a jury trial, and Judge H. Patrick Haggard presided over the bench trial that ended in life sentences on all counts.
PREVIOUS STORY: Convicted UGA campus murderer Jose Ibarra files motion for new trial
Riley’s killing while she was out for a run on the University of Georgia campus sparked national debate over immigration policy. Her death prompted the enactment of the “Laken Riley Act,” signed into law in 2025, which requires detention of unauthorized immigrants accused of theft or violent crimes.
PREVIOUS STORY: Laken Riley’s death opens larger discussion about immigration, deportation
