In a high-profile case that has gripped the nation, the defendant, Jose Ibarra, was found guilty on all 10 counts related to the brutal murder of Laken Riley, a nursing student at Georgia University. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole for murder.
The prosecution did not seek the death penalty in the case.
Ibarra was sentenced to the maximum possible punishments on the other charges, including kidnapping, aggravated assault with intent to rape, obstruction of a 911 call, tampering with evidence, and “Peeping Tom.”
In all, Ibarra was sentenced to two life sentences plus 27 years in prison.
The charges include felony murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and aggravated battery, among others.
Following the announcement of the verdicts, the judge asked both sides if they were prepared to proceed with sentencing immediately or needed additional time. A recess was scheduled until 12:30 p.m.
READ: Laken Riley’s Killer Arrived In Georgia On ‘Humanitarian Flight’ From New York
The courtroom was filled with emotion as the verdicts were read. Riley’s grieving family, including her father and stepfather, attended the proceedings, visibly emotional as they listened to the harrowing details of her final moments. Riley’s mother, unable to endure the painful details, chose not to remain in the courtroom.
The victim, 22-year-old Laken Riley, was a nursing student with a promising future ahead. Her life was tragically cut short by what prosecutors described as a “monster” who should never have been in the country. Ibarra, who is undocumented, was accused of entering the U.S. illegally before committing the crime.
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