Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student, was last seen alive on February 22 at around 9 a.m. near the campus where she went jogging. Moments after, she disappeared and was later found dead.
She had visible injuries on her body.
During the trial of Jose Ibarra, who is charged with murder and other crimes in the case of Riley, prosecutors played a footage of Riley jogging on campus before she vanished.
They also shared the late student’s text message to her mother, Allyson Phillips, who usually chatted with her daughter during her morning runs.
Riley’s last message to her mom read, “Good morning, about to go for run if you’re free to talk.” She sent the message at 8:55 a.m. then eight minutes latter she called her, but her mom didn’t answer the phone.
However, when the mom tried to reach her daughter minutes later, Riley was the one not responding. Worried, the mom sent her a message that read, “Call me when you can,” as per People. She then sent another one with the words, “You’re making me nervous not answering while you’re out running. Are you OK?” At 11:47 a.m. Phillips wrote to her daughter, “Please call me. I’m worried sick about you.”
As she couldn’t reach her, Phillip’s contacted her daughter’s roommates, Lilly Steiner and Sofia Magana, who searched the trail for their friend at around 11 a.m.
They came across a single AirPod that belonged to Riley and reported her missing to the University of Georgia police.
Riley’s smartwatch showed that she called 911 at 9:11 a.m. but the call was abruptly cut off. When 911 dispatchers called Riley back, they didn’t get an answer.
At 9:28 a.m., the smartwatch detected no movement. Laken Riley’s heart stopped.
The death of Laken Riley fueled a national debate over immigration. Jose Ibarra was an illegal immigrant who entered the country back in 2022 but was allowed to stay in the States while pursuing his immigration case.
Riley’s sister, Lauren Phillips, paid tributes to Riley on the social media. She wrote, “The best sister and my built in [sic] best friend from the very first second. This isn’t fair and I will never understand it but I know you are in heaven with the man you loved most right now. I’m not sure how I’m going to do this but it’s all going to be for you from now on.”
Rest in Peace, Laken Riley.
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