Mom of Laken Riley cant hide anguish as illegal migrant appears in court over nursing students murder
The mother of nursing student who was allegedly killed by an illegal migrant in Georgia was brought to heartbreaking tears when her daughters accused murderer appeared at a court hearing.
The mother of nursing student who was allegedly killed by an illegal migrant in Georgia was brought to heartbreaking tears when her daughters accused murderer appeared at a court hearing.
Laken Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University College in Athens, was allegedly killed by Jose Ibarra in February.
On Friday, Rileys mother, Allyson Phillips was seen getting emotional in the courtroom as she held a tissue to her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut.
At one point, Phillips was seen covering her eyes with tissues as a video played in court.
Ibarra was in court for a motions hearing ahead of his schedule trial next month. Jury selection is expected to begin on November 13.
He somberly sat in court as he wore translation headphones and a white button-down shirt.
On Friday, Laken Rileys mother, Allyson Phillips, was seen getting emotional in the courtroom as she held a tissue to her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut
Phillips was seen covering her eyes with the tissue as a video played in court
Riley’s killing became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration because Ibarra, who is from Venezuela, entered the US illegally in 2022 and was allowed to stay to pursue his immigration case.
Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, blamed Rileys death on President Joe Biden and his border policies.
A 10-count indictment accuses Ibarra of hitting the 22-year-old student in the head, asphyxiating her, and pulling up her clothing with the intent to sexually assault her.
Ibarra, who has family ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Rileys body was found on February 22 near running trails after a friend told police she had not returned from a morning run. Police have said her killing appeared to be a random attack.
Ibarra was arrested the next day and continues to be held in the Athens-Clarke County Jail without bond.
The judge began hearing arguments on four motions Friday. Those include a motion by Ibarras attorneys to move the trial from Athens because of pretrial publicity and an attempt to have a peeping Tom charge against him tried separately because it involves a different alleged victim.
Jose Ibarra is accused of killing Riley in February. He pleaded not guilty to the charges
Ibarras attorneys also are seeking to exclude some evidence and expert testimony.
Phillips took to Facebook in March, a day after her 22-year-old daughter was laid to rest, to write a gut-wrenching post detailing the loss.
The devastated mom said that the ordeal was an avoidable tragedy, adding: As I sat down to write this message, I really just have no words.
My family has faced the most devastating, unimaginable loss that anyone could ever be forced to endure. I would like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for being with me and my family during this heartbreaking time.
Riley, who grew up in Woodstock, Georgia, earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Georgia in 2023.
A 10-count indictment accuses Ibarra of hitting the 22-year-old student in the head, asphyxiating her, and pulling up her clothing with the intent to sexually assault her
Riley’s killing became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration because Ibarra, who is from Venezuela, entered the US illegally in 2022 and was allowed to stay to pursue his immigration case
She graduated from River Ridge High School in 2020 and was a member of her high schools cross country and track teams. She was described as an outstanding scholar athlete by Cherokee County School District Superintendent Brian Hightower.
The nation’s broken immigration system has emerged as a major campaign issue after an unprecedented migration surge strained budgets in cities including New York, Chicago and Denver.
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has dialed up his anti-immigrant rhetoric by suggesting migrants are committing crimes more often than US citizens, even though the evidence does not back up those claims.
In late September, Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris walked a stretch of the US-Mexico border and called for further tightening of asylum restrictions as she sought to project a tougher stance on illegal migration and address one of her biggest vulnerabilities in the November election.
She balanced tough talk on policing the border with calls for a better way to welcome migrants legally.
