A judge has rejected a postponement of the trial of the migrant suspect in the Laken Riley murder case.
Patrick Haggard, a judge on the Athens-Clark Supreme Court in Georgia, announced the verdict Friday after Jose Ibarra’s lawyers fought to delay the proceedings.
They did this through a motion to exclude DNA evidence in a case involving the murder on the University of Georgia (UGA) campus in February.
Ibarra, a 26-year-old undocumented immigrant from Venezuela, allegedly stalked and strangled the 22-year-old while she was jogging.
Riley, a nursing student at nearby Augusta University, was found close to her apartment after a friend’s call to police, leading to an investigation that culminated in Ibarra’s arrest.
Following Judge Haggard’s rejection, the trial is still scheduled to start on November 13.
Jose Ibarra’s lawyers tried to delay the proceedings this week, but were granted a motion to suppress evidence on Friday. Ibarra, 22, is seen during that day’s procedure
He is accused of stalking and strangling 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, who was jogging at the time.
“I’ve tried to understand the data, but I can’t,” attorney Dustin Kirby told the judge during his failed attempt to stop the trial.
The lawyer continued with testimony about TrueAllele, an automated DNA system devised by the technology company Cybergenetics that helped with the case.
Unknown evidence collected by the system involves DNA, fingerprints and cellphone data, lawyers for both sides said — citing how it had been analyzed by investigators and was about to surface during this month’s proceedings.
Kirby argued that the items were unlawfully collected by law enforcement and that the defense team also needed time to bring in their own expert to analyze the evidence.
Haggard was not convinced and told Kirby and other attorneys hired by Ibarra that he would not delay trial on such issues.
He offered some adjournment and said he would give the defense the opportunity to provide their own expert, before denying that the case would continue as normal.
That set the stage for a process that would take place in the aftermath of election week, indelibly linked to the larger situation at the U.S. border, where Ibarra gained access to the country.
The case has since captured the attention of the entire country, due to the larger connotations of the situation at the southern border, where Ibarra gained access to the country.
Ibarra’s brother, Diego, also an illegal migrant, has amassed a long criminal history since arriving in April 2023 with a forged green card
Following Judge Patrick Haggard’s rejection, the highly anticipated trial is still scheduled for November 13
He was arrested at his South Milledge Avenue apartment the day after the murder and has since pleaded not guilty to the 10 charges against him.
These include premeditated murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault and more crimes that could ultimately land him in prison for life.
An investigation following his arrest revealed how he illegally entered the country via El Paso in late 2022.
He was subsequently arrested by border officials, but quickly released due to lack of space.
Within months, he was arrested in New York City — this time for riding a gasoline-powered moped without a helmet or seatbelt with a 5-year-old on the back.
Despite the August 2023 offense, he was later released, paving the way for him to travel to Georgia to live with his brother Diego.
Federal authorities then discovered how Diego, the suspect’s older brother, had ties to the infamous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which the FBI says is trying to gain a foothold in the US.
After that day’s proceedings, Ibarra will be held without bail in the Athens-Clarke County Jail until his trial in just over a week.
He pulled up Riley’s clothes to sexually assault her before hitting her in the head and choking her, prosecutors allege
Homeland Security Investigators would soon find photos online of Diego flashing the gang’s hand gestures, as well as a slew of identifying tattoos such as stars, clocks, trains, weapons and crowns.
More photos showed him carrying firearms, even though illegal immigrants in the U.S. are not legally allowed to own guns.
Meanwhile, his little brother’s defense recently requested a change of venue due to the widespread media coverage that would surround the case – a motion that was also denied by Judge Haggard as the case makes its way through court.
He pulled up Riley’s clothes to sexually assault her before hitting her in the head and choking her, prosecutors allege.
He will be held in the Athens-Clarke County Jail without bail, officials said.
His trial will take place in just over a week.