Laken Riley’s murderer deserves the death penalty

Jose Ibarra entered the United States illegally. He received taxpayer-funded flights. He got housing and protection from law enforcement upon arrival. But when he stalked and murdered an innocent nursing student on the campus of the University of Georgia – rather than eradicating the planet of this deranged depraved lunatic, the now-defeated District Attorney in Athens, Georgia has made sure taxpayers will fund his room and board for the rest of his life.

The monster who killed Laken Riley is off to serve the rest of his natural life in a Georgia prison. He was sentenced to two life sentences without parole and then some. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, illegal Venezuelan immigrant Jose Ibarra will never breathe free air again. But the question remains: why is he not facing the death penalty? Why would DA Gonzalez be so callous and indifferent to the memory of Laken Riley that she would not seek the ultimate punishment in one of the most heartbreaking murders in Georgia history?

After all, Georgia’s death penalty law provides for the death penalty in the worst of the worst murder cases, but only if the district attorney elects to pursue it.

To qualify for the death penalty for murder in Georgia there must exist special circumstances. The law says those circumstances are as follows:

• Aggravating circumstances: The prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that one of the following circumstances applied:The offender has a prior record of a capital felony convictionThe offender committed the crime while committing another capital felony or aggravated batteryThe offender committed the crime for financial gainThe offender created a great risk of death to multiple people in a public placeThe offender murdered a judicial officer, district attorney, or solicitor-general while they were exercising their official dutiesThe offender committed the crime as an agent of another personThe crime was outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible, or inhuman
• The offender has a prior record of a capital felony conviction
• The offender committed the crime while committing another capital felony or aggravated battery
• The offender committed the crime for financial gain
• The offender created a great risk of death to multiple people in a public place
• The offender murdered a judicial officer, district attorney, or solicitor-general while they were exercising their official duties
• The offender committed the crime as an agent of another person
• The crime was outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible, or inhuman

Applying these factors, this case qualified for the death penalty in at least the following ways:

First, Ibarra committed his heinous deed while in the process committing the capital crime of “Kidnapping with Bodily injury.” Indeed, he was convicted of this offense in count 6 of the indictment.

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Second, the crime was committed while Ibarra was committing the crime of aggravated battery which was count 8 of the indictment and for which he was found guilty.

Third, the murder of Laken Riley was without question “outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible or inhuman.” Ibarra went hunting for someone to rape. He found Laken Riley and when she fought her attacker for nearly 20 minutes, he smashed her head in with a rock and discarded her remains like she was a piece of common trash.

Despite the existence of these circumstances, District Attorney Gonzalez opted not to seek the death penalty in this case. In fact, she vowed never to seek the death penalty in any case, regardless of how terrible or awful the particulars of the crime might be. On her first day in office 4 years ago Gonzalez sent a memo announcing that she would not seek the death penalty no matter the circumstances, taking away the right of the jury to make that decision in the most heinous of cases. This unilateral decision not what Georgia lawmakers intended and it defies the will of the people.

This was not some ordinary robbery or drug deal gone bad. This crime was truly sick, vile, disgusting and unimaginably sad. This cold-blooded killer went hunting for someone to rape and she refused to be his victim. As the prosecutor said in opening statements, Laken Riley fought with him for almost 20 minutes. She fought for her life and she fought for her dignity. And then Ibarra bashed her repeatedly in the head with a rock, strangled her until blood vessels in her eyes burst open, tried to remove her clothing and left her lifeless body covered in debris. If ever there was anyone that deserved to forfeit their life, it is Jose Ibarra.

The message – to all “sanctuary cities” – and to all who would seek to come to America should be loud and clear: If you come here illegally and violently murder one of our daughters, you will pay with your life. This animal does not deserve 3 hots and a cot. Jose Ibarra is irredeemably morally depraved. He cannot be rehabilitated. Georgia deserves retribution and Laken Riley deserves substantially more justice than District Attorney Gonzalez allowed.