Laken Riley’s mom, Allyson Phillips, sobbed in the courtroom as photos were shown of her daughter’s desperate last stand etched on accused killer’s arm.
A photo was displayed of Ibarra’s arm covered in scratches taken the day after the Georgia nursing student’s death — prompting Riley’s anguished mother to burst into tears.
During opening statements Friday, prosecutors claimed that Riley, 22, “fought for her life” against Jose Ibarra for a staggering 18 minutes before she died and that Ibarra’s DNA was found under her fingernails.
The courtroom was shown Ibarra’s injuries for the second time during the testimony of a cop with the University of Georgia going to Ibarra’s home the day after the slaying leading up to his arrest.
Several photos of Ibarra’s scratched-up arms, wrists and hands were first shown on Friday as prosecutors argue they are proof that he’s Riley’s killer.
When Sgt. Joshua Epps was at Ibarra’s home the day after the murder, he said Ibarra smoked a cigarette before his arrest.
Ibarra and three roommates also chatted and laughed with each other, Epps said as Phillips shook her head at the testimony.
“They thought it was amusing how many police cars we had,” Epps testified.
Phillips cried throughout her time in court on Friday as well as graphic photos and videos were revealed of her daughter’s body after she was brutally beaten and asphyxiated to death.
