Venezuelan Migrant Convicted of Murdering Student

José Ibarra, a Venezuelan migrant, was found guilty of murdering 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley in Georgia, a case that garnered significant national attention and was used politically against illegal immigration by Donald Trump. Judge Patrick Haggard presided over a bench trial and delivered the verdict, which included multiple charges such as malice murder and kidnapping, with overwhelming evidence including DNA and video footage linking Ibarra to the crime. Ibarra, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2022, had a criminal background and was reportedly a member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The prosecution detailed how Ibarra stalked and attacked Riley during her morning jog on the University of Georgia campus. While family members mourned Riley, the case reinforced the contentious immigration debate in the U.S. The sentencing for Ibarra is yet to be announced, but he faces a likely life sentence in prison.