ATHENS, Ga. — Jose Ibarra, a member of the Tren de Aragua gang, was sentenced to life without parole on Wednesday for the brutal murder of Laken Riley, a promising nursing student. This case sparked a nationwide debate over the Biden administration's open border policy and its treatment of illegal immigrants.

The sentencing came just over an hour after Judge Patrick Haggard announced the guilty verdict on all charges, following a four-day trial in Athens, Georgia. The prosecution presented testimony from 29 witnesses, while the defense called only three.

During the emotional hearing, Riley's loved ones delivered heartbreaking victim impact statements, which Ibarra watched with cold detachment, assisted by a translator. "The pain I feel is unexplainable; every day I am reminded my daughter is gone... I will never hold her hand or feel her hug," her father, Jason Riley, told the court. "Our world has been torn apart. I am haunted by the fear she felt in those final moments. I hope justice is served for her."

Her mother, Allyson Phillips, added, "Jose Ibarra took no pity on my scared, panicked, and struggling child. There is no end to the pain, suffering, and loss. On that horrific day, my precious daughter was attacked, beaten, and shown no mercy. She fought for her life in dignity, and to save herself from being brutally raped. This sick, twisted, and evil coward showed no regard for Laken and human life. We're asking the same be done to him."

Prosecutor Sheila Ross detailed the case in her closing argument, emphasizing the overwhelming evidence against Ibarra. The defense attempted to shift blame to Ibarra's brother, Diego, but Ross dismissed this, stating he would need "magic pixie dust" or "Harry Potter's invisibility cloak" to have committed the murder.

Judge Haggard delivered the verdicts just 19 minutes after the closing arguments. The gallery filled with sobs as Haggard read the guilty verdicts for felony murder, malice murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and peeping tom charges. Ibarra remained motionless and expressionless as he was convicted on all counts.

Riley was brutally murdered on February 22 while jogging on the University of Georgia campus. Ibarra, 26, attempted to sexually assault her but ended up smashing her head with a rock and asphyxiating her when she fiercely fought back. Prosecutors highlighted that Riley valiantly "fought for her life" for 18 minutes, leaving deep scratches on Ibarra's neck and wrists, which, along with his DNA found under her fingernails, were key pieces of evidence.

Riley's murder, committed by an illegal immigrant, gained national attention amid the ongoing migrant crisis in the US. Ibarra arrived in Athens on a taxpayer-funded flight from Kennedy Airport in Queens to Atlanta, Georgia, in September 2023, under a Biden administration program that provided one-way flights for migrants.

During the trial, it was revealed that Allyson Phillips missed her daughter's final text and phone call, which came just minutes before the attack. "Good morning, about to go for a run. Are you free to talk?" Riley texted her mother at 8:55 a.m. on February 22, followed by a phone call at 9:03 a.m. when she didn't hear back. Phillips missed the call, which was made just 7 minutes before the attack. Riley's phone locked after her last call to her mother and was only unlocked by authorities after retrieving it from the crime scene.

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