Georgia prosecutors are opposing a request by Jose Ibarra, the illegal immigrant suspect in the murder of Laken Riley, to bar certain evidence from the upcoming trial. The prosecutors allege that the evidence, including a bloody jacket, gloves, and a fingerprint, links Ibarra to the brutal crime.
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Laken Riley Murder: Prosecutors Push Back Against Suspect's Request to Suppress Evidence
**Athens, GA** - Georgia prosecutors are vehemently opposing a request by Jose Ibarra, the illegal immigrant suspect in the murder of Laken Riley, to suppress certain pieces of evidence ahead of his trial. The prosecutors assert that the items in question, which include a bloody jacket, gloves, and a fingerprint, provide substantial evidence connecting Ibarra to the heinous crime.
Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old from Venezuela, is accused of attacking and killing Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at the University of Georgia, while she was out for a run on campus on February 22, 2023.
Laken Riley Murder: Prosecutors Push Back Against Suspect's Request to Suppress Evidence
Ibarra filed a motion in May, seeking to suppress a list of evidentiary items, including cellphones, a buccal swab, and social media accounts. He contends that these items were unlawfully collected by law enforcement and that detectives entered his residence without a search warrant.
Prosecutors, however, maintain that law enforcement's entry into Ibarra's apartment was justified due to the urgent need to prevent the destruction of evidence. They argue that less than 12 hours after Riley's murder, local officers were searching for suspects depicted in videos obtained from the vicinity of the crime scene.
Laken Riley Murder: Prosecutors Push Back Against Suspect's Request to Suppress Evidence
Prosecutors note that one of the videos depicts a man, identified as Ibarra, disposing of a bloody jacket and gloves near a dumpster at his apartment complex within 30 minutes of Riley's death. The man is seen wearing a distinctive black baseball cap with a white Adidas logo and a sticker.
Less than 12 hours later, an Athens-Clarke County Sheriff's Office sergeant encountered Ibarra's older brother, Diego, at the apartment complex. Diego was wearing an identical hat to the man seen in the video. Upon further investigation, authorities determined that there was probable cause to believe that evidence related to the murder could be located inside the apartment. They proceeded to secure the premises pending the issuance of a search warrant.
Laken Riley Murder: Prosecutors Push Back Against Suspect's Request to Suppress Evidence
Prosecutors also oppose Ibarra's attempt to exclude testimony from a witness who conducted DNA testing during Riley's autopsy. They argue that the results "did not exclude Defendant, but also did not exclude another known individual associated with the case." They emphasize that the DNA evidence from Riley's fingernails, the discarded gloves, the baseball cap, and the blue hoodie jacket provide significant evidence that will assist the jury in determining Ibarra's guilt or innocence.
Additionally, detectives have identified Ibarra's thumbprint on Riley's cellular telephone, further implicating him in the murder.
Laken Riley Murder: Prosecutors Push Back Against Suspect's Request to Suppress Evidence
Ibarra illegally entered the United States through El Paso, Texas, in September 2022, and was released into the country via parole. His older brother, Diego, is charged with green card fraud and has ties to a known Venezuelan gang in the United States.
Following Riley's tragic death, the University of Georgia has invested heavily in safety measures, including increased police presence, security cameras, improved lighting, a nightly rideshare program, and an emergency alert app.
Laken Riley Murder: Prosecutors Push Back Against Suspect's Request to Suppress Evidence
Prosecutors are firmly against Ibarra's request to suppress evidence in the upcoming murder trial. They believe that the bloody jacket, gloves, fingerprint, and other evidence will play a crucial role in proving Ibarra's guilt. The trial is scheduled to commence in November 2023.
