Laken Riley’s killer Jose Ibarra returns to court as illegal immigrant requests new trial in student’s murder
Jose Ibarra's legal team claims he was not competent to stand trial for the 2024 murder that became central to Trump's immigration campaign
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The illegal immigrant convicted of murdering nursing student Laken Riley is seeking a new trial, returning to court in a case that helped fuel the national immigration debate and led to federal legislation named for the victim.
Jose Ibarra, who is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole, appeared Friday in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court in Georgia, where Judge Patrick Haggard heard arguments from Ibarra’s post-conviction attorneys requesting a new trial.
During the hearing, Haggard said the mental evaluation conducted on Ibarra and reviewed by the court found him competent, both at the time of the crime and during his original trial.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ibarra was found guilty on all 10 counts in November 2024 for the Feb. 22, 2024, killing of Riley, 22, who was attacked while running on the University of Georgia campus. Prosecutors said Riley died during a violent struggle with Ibarra.
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Laken Riley poses for a photo posted to Facebook. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Feb. 22, 2024. (Laken Riley/Facebook)
Riley was a student at Augusta University’s College of Nursing, which also maintains a campus in Athens, about 70 miles east of Atlanta.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ibarra’s legal team has already obtained a mental evaluation as part of the appeals process, claiming he was not competent to stand trial. Friday’s hearing focused on whether alleged errors during the original proceedings justify a new trial.
Jose Ibarra, accused of killing a Georgia nursing student, listens through an interpreter during his trial at Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)
Allyson Phillips, left, mother of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student killed earlier this year, reacts as John Phillips, stepfather of Laken Riley, comforts her during Jose Ibarra's trial at Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)
Federal immigration authorities previously said Ibarra entered the United States illegally in 2022 and was allowed to remain in the country while his immigration case was pending.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Riley’s murder became a central issue during President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, highlighting concerns about illegal immigration and violent crime. Last year, Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law, which requires the detention of unauthorized immigrants accused of violent crimes or theft.
Ibarra is currently serving a life sentence without parole in a Georgia state prison.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Samanatha Daigle contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.