During the trial of the suspect connected to the killing of nursing student Laken Riley, FBI special agent Jamie Hipkiss testified about compelling evidence found on Jose Ibarra's cell phone. Selfie photos on Ibarra's phone depicted him wearing clothes that were consistent with the suspect seen on surveillance video disposing of evidence related to the case.
The surveillance footage presented in court captured a man wearing a white-and-black shirt and a black hat throwing a navy blue jacket into a dumpster. This jacket, which was later recovered by investigators, contained DNA from both Ibarra and Riley, as revealed by prosecutors.
Agent Hipkiss, who examined the cell phones of the Ibarra brothers, pointed out that on the day of the murder, Jose Ibarra was seen in selfies wearing a white-and-black shirt, a black Adidas hat, and the same navy blue jacket that was later discarded. The footage from the surveillance camera showed Ibarra removing the jacket and placing it in a recycling bin at his apartment complex while wearing the exact outfit seen in the selfies.
During cross-examination, Hipkiss acknowledged that Ibarra's brother Diego also had access to the same cell phone, raising questions about the ownership and usage of the device. The testimony provided by Agent Hipkiss is expected to continue after a lunch break, with further details likely to shed light on the connection between the evidence found on Ibarra's phone and the ongoing investigation into Laken Riley's tragic death.
