An indictment reveals new details in the death of nursing student Laken Riley and accuses the suspect in a separate incident on the same day of Riley’s murder.
Jose 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. At the time of his arrest, University of Georgia Police Chief Jeff Clark said it “was a crime of opportunity.”
Ibarra was initially charged with several counts, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another.
An indictment obtained by Court TV additionally charges Ibarra with aggravated assault with attempt to rape, tampering with evidence and peeping tom.
The indictment accuses Ibarra of attempting to rape Riley, “asphyxiating her” and “seriously disfiguring her head by striking her head multiple times with a rock.” The tampering with evidence charge is for allegations he disposed of his jacket and gloves to conceal the crime.
The peeping tom charge accuses Ibarra in a separate incident the same day Riley was killed. Investigators say he spied on a woman at an apartment at the UGA Village Housing complex. The apartment is located across the street from where Riley was running when she was killed, reported WSBTV.
In total, Ibarra is facing 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.
A court date has not been set in the case.
