(NewsNation) — The criminal brothers of accused killer Jose Ibarra will testify on behalf of the defense this week in the murder trial of 22-year-old Georgia nursing student Laken Riley.
New court documents obtained by NewsNation revealed that Diego and Argenis, who are both undocumented immigrants currently in custody for fake green cards, were subpoenaed by the defense team to appear.
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The Ibarra brothers were allegedly living together in an apartment not far from the University of Georgia campus at the time of Riley’s murder. All three crossed over the border illegally from Venezuela.
Diego was employed for a short time by the university, but was fired shortly before Riley’s death for failing to produce proper documentation.
In a rare move, Ibarra has waived his right to a jury trial, leaving his fate solely in the hands of a judge — a risky decision in a case that has garnered national attention.
That move could prove strategically advantageous for the accused killer following a devastating start to court proceedings.
Riley’s family sobbed as graphic details and images were revealed about the woman’s terrifying final moments.
Laken Riley’s murder
The investigation into Riley’s death began when a friend reported her missing on Feb. 22 after she didn’t return home from a run.
Investigators soon after discovered her body in a forested area on the University of Georgia campus.
Emergency responders tried to revive Riley but determined she died before officers discovered her body.
The UGA Police Department arrested Ibarra in connection to Riley’s death the following day.
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Prosecutors allege Ibarra beat Riley with an object and dragged her body to a secluded area off the jogging path to conceal her body.
The prosecution is relying on hard forensic evidence — DNA, blood, fingerprints and video of Ibarra allegedly dumping bloody clothes 15 minutes after the murder — to make its case.
NewsNation’s Mills Hayes contributed to this report.