Jose Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, has been convicted of murder in the February killing of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student.
Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard handed down the guilty verdict on Nov. 20. Ibarra had waived his right to a jury trial, with Haggard alone issuing a decision in the case.
The case had added fuel to the national debate about illegal immigration.
Ibarra entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and was awaiting immigration proceedings, a detail that intensified discussions and highlighted controversies around border security and immigration policies during the presidential race. President-elect Donald Trump and other Republicans met with Riley’s parents before a March campaign rally, using the case to advocate for stricter border policies….