Fresh Scoop Today

Day 3 of the murder trial of the man accused of killing Laken Riley continues in Georgia


Day 3 of the murder trial of the man accused of killing Laken Riley continues in Georgia

Jose Ibarra's defense has raised questions about whether his two brothers may have been responsible for the killing.

Day 3 of the murder trial of Jose Ibarra in the killing of nursing student Laken Riley featured 10 prosecution witnesses and 3 defense witnesses as the trial moved at a quick pace.

Here are some of the key takeaways from Tuesday's testimony:

Riley's last run caught on camera: Surveillance video near a running trail and bus stop on the University of Georgia campus showed Riley out on a run at about 9 a.m. minutes before her death on the morning of February 22. The video also captured a man dressed in dark clothing lingering in a nearby area about an hour earlier.

Victim's heartbreaking final text: Riley's last text on her phone was a message to her mother hoping to talk. "Good morning, about to go for a run if you're free to talk," she wrote to her mother at 8:55 a.m. Her mother repeatedly called back over the next few hours but did not reach her daughter.

Riley's cause of death: Her cause of death was the combined effects of blunt-force head trauma and asphyxia, a medical examiner testified. Riley had a skull fracture and a series of injuries to her face that "could be consistent with a rock," the examiner said.

DNA matches defendant: Fingernail clippings of Riley's right hand were linked to the genetic profile of Jose Ibarra, a forensic DNA expert testified. In addition, a blood-like stain on a navy blue jacket found in a dumpster contained the DNA of Riley and Ibarra, the expert testified.

Prosecution rests: The prosecution rested its case after calling about 25 witnesses over three days.

Defendant declines to testify: Speaking through a translator, Jose Ibarra confirmed he understood his rights and did not want to testify.

Previous articleNext article

POPULAR CATEGORY

entertainment

8930

discovery

4046

multipurpose

9396

athletics

9304