Laken Riley murder case: Prosecutors say Jose Ibarra went ‘hunting for females’ as trial begins

ATHENS, Ga. — The trial for Jose Ibarra, the man accused of murdering nursing student Laken Riley on the University of Georgia campus, began on Friday morning.

Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco was in the courtroom as prosecutors and Ibarra’s defense attorneys gave opening statements and started calling witnesses.

Those in the courtroom, including Riley’s parents, listened to statements about Riley’s final moments that were difficult for them to hear.

“Jose Ibarra put on a black hat, a hoodie-style jacket and some black kitchen-style disposable gloves, and he went hunting for females on the University of Georgia campus,” prosecutors said.

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Ibarra is accused of attacking and killing Riley while she was on her morning jog back in February.

Prosecutors showed doorbell video of Riley leaving her apartment for her morning jog. But prosecutors say that Ibarra had been up and at it for an hour.

They say he was caught on camera peeping into windows at a student housing complex and trying to break into a woman’s apartment an hour before the timestamp on the doorbell video of Riley. They say Ibarra vanished into the woods near Riley’s running spot eight minutes into her run.

A 911 dispatcher testified that Riley’s phone called for help, but someone hung up. About 17 minutes later, her smartwatch shows that her heart stopped.

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Prosecutors say a fingerprint on her phone matches Ibarra’s left thumb. They showed a jacket that officers found in a dumpster. Prosecutors say it has both Riley and Ibarra’s blood on it.

Defense attorneys say all of that evidence is unreliable.

“There should not be enough evidence to convince you beyond a reasonable doubt that Ibarra is guilty of the crimes charged,” his attorney said.

Ibarra requested a bench trial, meaning that there is no jury. The decision between conviction and acquittal lies solely with the judge.

The trial will continue on Monday. You can watch the proceedings live on WSBTV.com and on the WSB-TV news app.

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