Prosecutors argued during the bench trial that Ibarra killed Riley after she fought off his attempt to rape her. “It is a direct result of that fight,” prosecutor Sheila Ross had told the judge, per NBC News, “that gives you all the physical evidence you need to convict.”
However, the defense argued that while the evidence showed the victim was murdered, it did not tie Ibarra to the killing without a reasonable doubt, and they suggested Ibarra’s brother, Diego Ibarra, could have killed Riley, NBC News said.
Riley is survived by her parents, two sisters and a brother. Her mother, Allyson Phillips, cried as she read her victim impact statement before the sentencing.
“This monster took away our chances to see Laken graduate from nursing school,” she said. “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.”
She added, “He took away every beautiful memory we won’t ever be able to make with her again.”
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