ATHENS, Ga. — The man charged with killing Laken Riley on the University of Georgia’s campus pleaded not guilty on Friday.
Jose Ibarra appeared before a Clarke County Superior Court judge for his arraignment hearing. The hearing was short as attorneys for Ibarra, who sat in the courtroom with headphones on, entered his plea.
Riley’s family sat in the courtroom behind him in tears.
Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was killed while jogging on UGA’s campus on Feb. 22. Police arrested Ibarra, a Venezuelan migrant, and charged him in her death.
A grand jury indicted Ibarra on 10 charges: malice murder, three counts of felony murder, kidnapping with bodily injuries, aggravated assault with intent to rape, aggravated battery, obstructing or hindering a person from making an emergency telephone call, tampering with evidence and Peeping Tom.
The indictment details what investigators think led up to Riley’s death.
According to the court document, Ibarra is accused of abducting Riley, holding her against her will and stopping her from completing a call to 911.
The indictment accuses Ibarra of attempting to rape Riley, then asphyxiating her and hitting her over the head with a rock. He is then accused of disposing of his jacket and gloves to conceal the crime.
The document also alleges that on the day of Riley’s murder, Ibarra went onto campus and spied on another woman in an apartment at the university’s Village Housing complex, which serves as housing for families and graduate students.
Building “S” is just across the street from Oconee Forest Park and a retention pond near where Riley was running when she was killed.