Jose Ibarra, man accused of killing Laken Riley on UGA campus, appears in court

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – The man accused of killing a nursing student on the University of Georgia campus is back in court Friday.

The victim, Laken Riley, 22, was found near running trails on Feb. 22 after a friend told police she had not returned from a morning run. Police said her killing appeared to be a random attack. Ibarra was arrested the next day and remains held without bail in the Athens-Clarke County Jail.

Jose Ibarra, an illegal immigrant, was charged with one count of first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated murder and one count each of kidnapping, aggravated assault, aggravated assault, obstructing an emergency call, tampering with evidence and spying on Tom.

Riley's killing became a flashpoint in the national immigration debate. Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, blamed President Joe Biden and his border policies for Riley's death.

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