Jose Antonio Ibarra, a member of the Illegal Alien Torren de Aragua gang on trial for the murder of Laken Riley, will not defend himself on the witness stand. He refused to take the stand because surveillance footage showed him stalking the area where Riley was last seen and where her body was later discovered.
On Tuesday, prosecutors said Ibarra wore black clothing, including black gloves and a hood, and stalked Riley in the area where she was last seen jogging on Feb. 22. The case was put on hold after showing damaging surveillance footage.
University of Georgia Police Department Sergeant Sophie Laboud told the jury that Ybarra was seen in the area between 6:52 a.m. and 7:54 a.m., with a cup in her hand and a nearby He said he walked around the area, passing certain doors in the apartment complex.
Screenshot via CourtTV
Screenshot via CourtTV
At about 9:05 a.m., Riley was seen jogging in the area and heading into a wooded area before his body was found by police. In the video, Riley is seen wearing the same clothing that police found her body in.
Investigators said Riley was found with her jogging pants pulled halfway down her hips, exposing her breasts, and her sports bra, shirt and jacket wrapped around her upper body.
Screenshot via CourtTV
Screenshot via CourtTV
Screenshot via CourtTV
On February 22nd, Riley went for a morning jog around the University of Georgia (UGA) campus in Athens. Riley was an avid runner and attended nursing school.
When Riley didn't return after jogging, her roommates went looking for her and called the police. Riley's body was found beaten in a wooded area on the UGA campus. The next day, Ybarra was arrested and charged with Riley's murder.
Ybarra's roommate at the time testified at Monday's trial that the undocumented immigrant returned to the apartment and fell asleep immediately after allegedly brutally killing Riley.
The roommate also testified that in September 2023, she and Ybarra requested a “humanitarian flight” to Athens at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, New York City. The hotel is a historic building that Mayor Eric Adams (D) converted into an immigrant camp.
In November 2023, just months before Riley's murder, Ybarra applied for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). On December 9, 2023, Ibarra's work permit application was approved.
In July 2023, before securing a work permit, Ybarra reported to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in New York City for a biometric appointment, where she was fingerprinted. The results of these fingerprints indicate that Ibarra had a past criminal history.
On September 14, 2023, Ibarra was arrested for conduct likely to endanger a child. Despite the accusations, Ibarra was not charged and the arrest was quashed.
Ybarra faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Please email jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
