A Georgia judge has denied a request for a new trial by Jose Antonio Ibarra, the Venezuelan national convicted of murdering nursing student Laken Riley.

Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard issued the order on Monday, stating that the state's evidence against Ibarra was "overwhelming and powerful." Ibarra, 28, was found guilty in a 2024 bench trial of malice murder, felony murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and other charges in connection with Riley's death. He waived his right to a jury trial and was sentenced to life in prison without parole, plus additional consecutive terms.

Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University, was killed on February 22, 2024, while jogging on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. Ibarra, who had entered the United States illegally from Venezuela in 2022, encountered Riley during the incident. The case drew national attention, fueling debates over immigration policy and contributing to the passage of the Laken Riley Act in 2025, which requires the detention of unauthorized immigrants accused of certain theft or violent crimes.

Ibarra's attorneys argued in their motion for a new trial that his constitutional rights were violated by the denial of two pre-trial motions. They sought a continuance to allow a defense expert more time to review DNA evidence analyzed using TrueAllele software and to exclude cellphone location data seized from Ibarra's apartment, claiming it was not listed on the search warrant.

Judge Haggard rejected these claims. He found that defense counsel effectively challenged the DNA evidence during the trial through cross-examination and closing arguments, and that a proposed defense expert's opinion would not have altered the outcome. On the cellphone evidence, the judge cited exigent circumstances for the initial seizure and noted that warrants were obtained before any search. He concluded that even excluding the cellphone data, the remaining evidence, including DNA, fingerprints, trace evidence, and video, was sufficient for conviction.

A spokesperson for Ibarra's legal team indicated plans to appeal the decision. The ruling leaves Ibarra's convictions and life sentence intact for now.

The case has continued to resonate. In February 2026, Riley's father filed a lawsuit against the University System of Georgia, alleging the university failed to warn students about threats posed by Ibarra before the killing. Ibarra remains in custody at a state prison.