Laken Riley murder case: Pretrial hearing for Jose Ibarra scheduled today

CLARKE COUNTY, Ga. — The prosecution in the Laken Riley murder case and the defense attorneys for Jose Ibarra will appear in court on Tuesday.

It is the final pretrial hearing ahead of jury selection, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

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Investigators said Ibarra killed Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University, on Feb. 22 while she was out jogging on the University of Georgia’s campus. Ibarra entered a plea of not guilty.

There have been several motions in the case over the past few months.

Defense attorneys representing Ibarra filed a motion in September to suppress evidence collected in the days and months after Riley’s death. The motion claims some evidence seized by authorities was collected in “an unlawful manner.”

A judge ruled last week that prosecutors can use evidence such as fingerprints on Ibarra’s phones and ruled the search warrants were properly executed.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys have not said what will be discussed at Tuesday’s hearing, which begins at 10 a.m.

Channel 2 Action News has a reporter and photographer at the Clarke County courthouse. LIVE updates on Channel 2 Action News This Morning.

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