In the nine months since Laken Riley was killed while jogging at the University of Georgia, her death turned into a lightning rod over crime and illegal immigration and cast an ominous shadow over the college town of Athens.

The body of the 22-year-old was found on the University of Georgia campus after a friend told police she had not returned from her morning run.

The man accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley has waived his right to a jury, paving the way for his bench trial, which is expected to begin Friday morning.

A bench trial for Jose Ibarra, the defendant facing murder charges in the killing of nursing student Laken Riley, is expected to begin Friday. The proceedings are set to start at 9 a.m. before Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H.

A judge on Friday will decide the fate of the man charged with murdering nursing student Laken Riley on the UGA campus.

Jose Ibarra is charged with murder and other crimes in the February killing of Laken Hope Riley, whose body was found on the University of Georgia Campus. Ibarra waived his right to a jury trial, meaning his case will be heard and decided by Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard.