The murder trial of the man accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley while she was out for a morning run on the University of Georgia campus got underway on Friday morning.

The man accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley began today with a bench trial after suspect Jose Ibarra waived his right to a jury. Ibarra was indicted on charges including three counts of felony murder and counts of malice murder.

In a case that became a flashpoint in the nation’s debate over immigration during the 2024 election, the bench trial for the suspect in the murder of a nursing student on the University of Georgia (UGA) campus is underway.