Prosecutors Reveal Laken Riley's Last Text Message to Her Mom Before She Went Out for Jog

Mar. 15, 2025

Laken Riley.Photo:Laken Riley/ Facebook

Laken Riley/ Facebook

On the third day of the trial for the suspect inLaken Riley’s February homicide, prosecutors shared evidence of the last known communication from the nursing student: a message to her mother.

Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student, waskilledon Feb. 22 after she went out for a morning jog on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga.

Jose Ibarra, 26, was arrested and charged with several offenses including murder, kidnapping and assault, according tocourt records, and ison trialin Athens County this week.

On Tuesday, Nov. 19, prosecutors shared in court the last text message Riley sent to her mother, a semblance of haunting ordinariness right before the family would face a horrific tragedy.

The rest of the message, which she sent at 8:55 a.m., read: “…about to go for run if you’re free to talk.”

Laken Riley.Laken Riley/ Facebook

At 9:11 a.m., Riley reportedly called 911, prosecutors say, but the call was abruptly cut. There were two return calls from 911 made to her phone, but no one answered.

By the time her mother called her back at 9:24 a.m., Riley was unable to respond.

After follow up phone calls and a text message to Riley went unanswered, her mother grew anxious.

“You’re making me nervous not answering while you’re out running,” her mother wrote in one text message. “Are you OK?”

Over the next two hours, Riley’s phone records show several phone calls from her family as well as worried messages asking about her whereabouts.

Jose Antonio Ibarra.Clarke County Sheriff’s Office

Clarke County Sheriff’s Office

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’sfree True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.During the trial, prosecutors presented forensic evidence, testimony from her roommate as well asjail cell phone conversationbetween Ibarra and his wife, where she agonizingly pleaded for him to tell her what happened.

Immigration officials have said Ibarra is a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. illegally in 2022, putting the case in spotlight for many supportingpresident-elect Donald Trump’s policies on illegal immigration.

Ibarra, who has pleaded not guilty on all charges, told the court on Tuesday he will not be testifying in the trial,CNNreported.

source: people.com