Trump shares scathing statement after Laken Riley's killer sentenced to life without parole, ‘Time to secure our border’

“We love you, Laken, and our hearts will always be with you," Donald Trump said in a statement.

Published on: Nov 21, 2024, 11:34:57 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Donald Trump shared a scathing statement after Georgia nursing student Laken Riley’s killer, Jose Antonio Ibarra, was sentenced to life without parole. Judge Patrick Haggard announced the guilty verdict on all charges on the fourth day of the murder trial in Athens, Georgia.

Donald Trump (L) shares scathing statement after Laken Riley's killer, Jose Antonio Ibarra (R), sentenced to life without parole (REUTERS/Jonathan Drake/File Photo, Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)

In a Truth Social post, the president-elect wrote, “JUSTICE FOR LAKEN RILEY! The Illegal who killed our beloved Laken Riley was just found GUILTY on all counts for his horrific crimes. Although the pain and heartbreak will last forever, hopefully this can help bring some peace and closure to her wonderful family who fought for Justice, and to ensure that other families don’t have to go through what they have.”

Trump added, “We love you, Laken, and our hearts will always be with you. It is time to secure our Border, and remove these criminals and thugs from our Country, so nothing like this can happen again!”

‘This monster took away our chances to see Laken graduate’

Ibarra, 26, an undocumented migrant from Venezuela, was convicted on 10 charges, including murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and tampering with evidence. Riley, an Augusta University student, was found dead in a wooded area near the University of Georgia. Ibarra attacked and brutally killed her while she was out jogging. Riley was reportedly struck in the head with a rock several times and asphyxiated, court documents stated.

Riley’s heartbroken family described Ibarra as a “sick, twisted, and evil coward” in court. “This monster took away our chances to see Laken graduate from nursing school. He took away our ability to meet our future son-in-law. He destroyed our chances of meeting our grandchildren. And he took my best friend,” Riley’s mother, Allyson Phillips, said on Wednesday, November 20.

“He ripped away every beautiful memory we will ever be able to make with her again,” she added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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