The illegal immigrant accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley in February was indicted on Tuesday by a Georgia grand jury on charges including murder and peeping on a University of Georgia staffer.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, faces charges of felony murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault with intent to rape, obstructing a person making a 911 call, evidence tampering, and being a “peeping tom,” according to a ten-count indictment filed in Clark County Superior Court and shared by Fox News. Nine of the charges are felonies and the charge for interfering with a call is a misdemeanor.
Ibarra killed Riley “by inflicting blunt force trauma to her head and by asphyxiating her,” the indictment says. Ibarra is accused of “pulling up articles of her clothing, with the intent to have carnal knowledge of her forcibly and against her will” while carrying out the killing.
In addition, he is being charged with aggravated battery for “seriously disfiguring her head by striking head multiple times with a rock,” the indictment states. The grand jury charged Ibarra for concealing evidence because he allegedly hid a jacket and gloves linked to the killing.
The tenth and final count of the indictment is a “peeping tom” charge against Ibarra, who is accused of looking through an apartment window while he was on the University of Georgia’s premises.
In September 2022, Ibarra crossed the southern border near El Paso, Texas and law enforcement paroled him into the country. Last year, New York police officers arrested Ibarra for acting in a manner to injure a child and he was released before Immigration and Customs Enforcement could issue a detainer. His brother Diego, 29, is facing federal charges and accused of faking a green card,. Prosecutors believe he is linked to Venezuelan gangs.
Riley’s death received national attention earlier this year and brought renewed scrutiny to the record level of illegal immigration occurring under the Biden administration.
House Republicans impeached Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in February for failing to enforce the law at the southern border. The Democratic-controlled Senate squashed the impeachment trial last month soon after Republicans delivered the impeachment articles.
President Joe Biden mentioned Riley during his State of the Union address in March after he was heckled by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R., Ga.) for not saying her name.
Biden incorrectly called Riley “Lincoln” and described Ibarra as an “illegal,” enraging his left flank, who appeared more concerned about Biden’s terminology than Ibarra’s alleged criminal acts. The progressive backlash led Biden to apologize for his description of Ibarra.
Riley’s father Jason spoke out in March and expressed dismay at Riley’s death being used for political purposes. His ex-wife, Riley’s mother, appeared at a rally held by former president Donald Trump earlier in March and criticized Biden’s handling of the southern border.
Immigration is a top issue for Americans this election cycle, and opinion polls show Trump’s hardline approach could be an advantage come November.