Ibarra, a Venezuelan man who entered the nation illegally, stands accused of killing the 22-year-old School of Georgia college pupil earlier this yr. Riley’s physique was found on February 22, after she didn’t return dwelling from a run.

Ibarra, 26, was arrested the subsequent morning and charged with one rely of malice murder, three counts of felony murder and one rely each of kidnapping, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, hindering an emergency telephone title, tampering with proof and being a peeping Tom.

He has pleaded not accountable.

The first to take the stand on Monday was School of Georgia police officer Sgt. Joshua Epps, who testified about seeing accidents on Ibarra he said “appeared like fingernail scratches” the day after the murder.

Officers “dumpster diving” found a black hoodie with “prolonged, darkish hair on it” and blood stains contained within the trash bin for an home difficult the place Ibarra lived. Security footage confirmed an individual holding onto an Adidas hat strolling as a lot because the dumpster and throwing one factor away; whereas looking the world, they received right here all through Ibarra’s brother, Diego — who was sporting what gave the look to be the similar Adidas hat.

Police began speaking with Diego, sooner than waking up Jose and one different roommate contained in the home to speak with them as correctly. Bodycam footage carried out for the courtroom Monday confirmed officers wake the pair, telling them to come back again exterior.

“I noticed on his correct arm, his bicep there was a scratch, which I acknowledged as a potential defensive wound,” said Epps when requested about markings he said he observed on Ibarra. He moreover said he noticed what appeared like fingernail marks on his left forearm, along with a “puncture” he moreover thought received right here from a fingernail.

“I might even see like moist flesh, almost choose it was modern. It wasn’t very outdated, in all probability nonetheless irritated … I might even see the liquid or physique fluids which may be in that reduce reflecting with mild.”

He moreover testified to seeing bruising to the thumb and palm area.

A second officer, Cpl. Rafael Sayan, was delivered to the scene after preliminary responders couldn’t discuss with the Ibarras, who converse Spanish. Requested regarding the “vibe” between the brothers on the scene, Sayan said, “They’d been speaking to at the least one one different, laughing.”

“It appeared very relaxed. There was numerous laughing, laughing, notably as soon as they’d been talking about how they’d been woken up, pulled out of the home,” he said. “I’d say the vibe or atmosphere was very relaxed.”

Additional bodycam footage confirmed Sayan asking Jose about redness he observed on his knuckles. Per Sayan, Ibarra said the coloring was on account of chilly. Ibarra was moreover requested a couple of reduce on his correct bicep, with the suspect allegedly saying he “had a scratch nonetheless he didn’t exactly make clear from the place or how.”

Requested about additional cuts on his arm, Ibarra at first allegedly said he didn’t have one thing on them. When it was recognized, he as soon as extra said it was “solely a scratch.” Sayan said the reduce “didn’t look very outdated.”

Police moreover had Ibarra preserve once more his hair, with Sayan saying he might even see “a purple mark going all through” his forehead — “as if he had been sporting a hat.” Sayan said Ibarra knowledgeable authorities he did placed on a hat very similar to the one Diego had on his head.

Whereas Ibarra was initially set for a jury trial, the select agreed to a bench trial on Tuesday — which means the defendant’s future might be decided by a select and by no means a jury.

Prosecutor Sheila Ross, in her opening statements remaining Friday, said Ibarra “went on the lookout for females on the School of Georgia campus, and on his hunt he encountered 22-year-old Riley on her morning jog.”

“When Laken Riley refused to be his rape sufferer, he bashed her skull in with a rock repeatedly. The proof will current that Laken fought,” she continued. “She fought for her life, she fought for her dignity, and in that battle, she led to this defendant to go away forensic proof behind. She moreover marked her killer for the whole world to see.”

Ross then laid out the prosecution’s timeline, using digital proof gathered from security cameras, 911 calls and Riley’s private well being watch. Per Ross, at 4:30am and 5:27am on the morning of Riley’s murder, Ibarra shared photographs of himself to Snapchat throughout which he was seen sporting an Adidas hat, black jacket and hoodie (left above).

At 6:52 a.m., an individual exhibiting to placed on the similar outfit was then seen heading in direction of campus in security footage (coronary heart), the place he then tried to open one different pupil’s door whereas she showered (correct).

The prosecution said this man, who they think about is Ibarra, went as a lot because the door six events inside the span of an hour, attempting to open it twice. The student inside known as police, reporting a Peeping Tom.

At 9:03 a.m., Riley was seen leaving her dwelling on a Ring digital digicam, sooner than a path cam picked her up at 9:05. That’s the remaining time she was seen alive, headed in direction of the crime scene.

Then, at 9:11, said Ross, Riley activated the emergency suppliers attribute on her phone to call 911. The 1 minute, 8 second title was carried out for the courtroom, throughout which the operator can been heard saying, “Howdy” repeatedly, sooner than asking, “Can anyone hear me?”

Solely the sounds of birds and a muffled male’s voice might probably be heard. When the phone hung up, police tried calling once more twice, nonetheless obtained no reply.

Riley’s physique was found shortly after 12:30 p.m. that exact same day, in a wooded area off the trail.

“She was hidden, almost beneath a tree, lined up with a bunch of leaves. Her breasts had been absolutely uncovered. All three layers of her garments had been pulled up around her neck,” said Ross. “Her underwear was protruding from her tights … [she had] excessive accidents to the left facet of her head. She was lifeless, she was chilly.”

Using medical information pulled from her Garmin watch, Ross said it confirmed Riley was working and listening to music when “one factor” rapidly occurred to her. “He does one factor to her, to make her stop lifeless in her tracks,” she claimed.

“Her coronary coronary heart cost continues to be going until 9:28 a.m.. Her encounter with him was prolonged. Her battle with him was fierce and that’s what the Garmin information displays,” added Ross. “As quickly as her coronary coronary heart stops at 9:28 a.m., there isn’t any further movement kind her Garmin.”

As police appeared for a lead, they started “dumpster diving,” said Ross — with one officer discovering a black hoodie with “prolonged, darkish hair on it” and blood stains. A security digital digicam pointed on the dumpster then confirmed anyone holding an Adidas hat and sporting the similar shirt Ibarra was seen in sporting in a single different Snapchat {photograph} strolling in direction of the bin and dropping the jacket inside (break up above). He was moreover seen leaving one factor inside the shut by bushes, which had been later found to be black disposable gloves with blood on them.

Whereas police continued to look the world the subsequent morning, they received right here all through Ibarra’s brother, Diego, sporting the similar Adidas hat. They in the end obtained a warrant for his home and situated Jose asleep inside.

Per Ross, DNA of every Riley and Ibarra was found on the jacket, whereas the hair was “in step with Laken’s” and appeared “forcibly far from her head.” Ross moreover said Ibarra’s DNA was left beneath her fingernails, whereas his thumbprint was left on her iPhone show display.

Detailing the assault on Riley, Ross moreover said a sexual assault package deal received right here once more unfavorable for male DNA, though her underwear had been torn. She said Riley suffered a complicated, depressed skull fracture, along with 8 lacerations of the skull “which precisely seem like holes,” and abrasions to the neck, face and torso.

“The proof that Jose Ibarra killed anyone is circumstantial,” Ibarra’s authorized skilled, Dustin W. Kirby, shared in his opening assertion on Friday. Kirby moreover claimed it’s going to take “gymnastics” for prosecutors to point out his client was the killer.

“We waived a jury trial on this case, with the hope and perception that whatever the character of this proof that you just would possibly come to a verdict that was not solely a method of of easing this family struggling, nonetheless it was based mostly totally on an impartial and honest analysis of the proof on this case,” he moreover said.

“If that happens and the presumption of innocence is revered, there shouldn’t be adequate proof to influence you previous an reasonably priced doubt that Mr. Ibarra is accountable of the crimes charged,” he added.