‘Free to talk:’ Prosecutors read Laken Riley’s final text as they rest case against Jose Ibarra

ATHENS, Ga. — Prosecutors have rested their case against Jose Ibarra, 26, in the trial to determine if he killed nursing student Laken Riley, 22, on the University of Georgia campus.

Channel 2 Action News has been in the courtroom since the trial started last week.

The audience, including the judge, saw surveillance video of Riley jogging just minutes before she was killed.

On Tuesday, Channel 2′s Michael Seiden was there as prosecutors read Riley’s final text message to her mother sent moments before she started that jog.

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“Good morning about to go for run if you’re free to talk,” Sgt. Sophie Raboud with UGA police read from a transcript of Riley’s final text.

Investigators say she sent that text message at 8:55 a.m. and tried calling her mom at 9:03 a.m. Her mother didn’t answer the call.

At 9:11 a.m., Riley called 911.

Her mother returned her call at 9:24 a.m., but never heard from her daughter again.

“Please call me. I’m worried sick about you,” Raboud read from a transcript of a text Riley’s mother sent her.

Riley’s sister and stepfather also tried reaching out to her.

Surveillance video showed her roommates searching for her along running trails.

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Defense attorneys for Ibarra will now have the opportunity to lay out their case.

Ibarra told the judge through a translator on Tuesday that he will not testify in his own defense during the trial.

You can watch the full trial on WSBTV.com and the WSB-TV app.

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