During the trial of defendant Jose Ibarra, his brother Diego Ibarra claimed he was asleep at the time of Laken Riley's killing, with Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Lucas Beyer testifying that there is no evidence contradicting Diego's alibi. Beyer stated, 'I found no evidence that contradicts his statement that he was home at that time.' The special agent conducted a 90-minute interview with Diego Ibarra the day after the incident, during which Diego maintained his innocence, asserting that he was asleep in bed.
However, there was a conflicting account from an individual who suggested that the person seen on video discarding a bloody jacket into a dumpster was Diego Ibarra. Yet, this identification lacked confidence. On further examination, witnesses who were familiar with the Ibarra brothers positively identified the individual in the video as Jose Ibarra, the defendant.
The defense team has raised doubts regarding the potential involvement of Jose Ibarra's brothers in the crime. This development adds a layer of complexity to the case, as the prosecution attempts to establish the true perpetrator behind Laken Riley's tragic death.
