Trial date set for suspect in murder of nursing student Laken Riley

ATHENS, Ga. (Court TV) — The man accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley will face a jury in November.

Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard set a tentative trial date for Jose Ibarra during a status conference Friday.

Jose Ibarra appears in court Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (Court TV)

Jury selection is expected to begin Nov. 13, with opening statements following on Nov. 18. In court, prosecutors said they’d like for the trial to wrap before Thanksgiving.

Prosecutors are seeking life in prison without the possibility of parole for Ibarra, who previously pleaded not guilty to multiple charges in the death of Riley.

Ibarra, 26, was arrested Feb. 23 for the murder of 22-year-old Riley, who was killed while jogging on the University of Georgia campus.

An indictment charges Ibarra with 10 charges: malice murder, three counts of felony murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, aggravated battery, obstruction or hindering a person making emergency telephone call, tampering with evidence and peeping Tom.

Ibarra is accused of attempting to rape Riley, “asphyxiating her” and “seriously disfiguring her head by striking her head multiple times with a rock.” A tampering with evidence charge is for allegations he disposed of his jacket and gloves to conceal the crime.

Ibarra is also accused of spying on a woman at an apartment at the UGA Village Housing complex the day Riley was killed.