On Wednesday, the man accused of murdering 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley in February at the University of Georgia was found guilty, being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen, illegally crossed into the U.S. at the border with Mexico in 2022. His status as an illegal immigrant attracted headlines amidst the 2024 presidential election, with Republicans highlighting his murder of Riley as an example of a greater migrant-induced crime wave sweeping the U.S.
“We love you, Laken, and our hearts will always be with you,” President-elect Donald J. Trump wrote in a post on X. “It is time to secure our Border, and remove these criminals and thugs from our Country, so nothing like this can happen again!”
