Riley was killed on Feb. 22 while jogging on a wooded trail near the University of Georgia campus.
The medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Laken Riley this week revealed the extent of her injuries during the trial of the man who stands accused of killing her.
Riley, 22, who was a Georgia nursing student, died on Feb. 22 after what prosecutors describe as a violent attack by the accused, Jose Ibarra, while she was jogging on a wooded trail near the University of Georgia campus.
Dr. Michelle DiMarco of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) testified in court on Tuesday that Riley’s body showed injuries across multiple areas, including her head, neck, torso, and limbs. DiMarco identified eight cuts to Riley’s head, one of which caused a skull fracture.
The injuries « could be consistent with a rock », DiMarco said. A GBI specialist testified Riley’s DNA was found on two rocks at the scene.
Additional testing revealed Riley’s DNA on a blue jacket found in a trash bin at Ibarra’s apartment complex. Ibarra’s DNA was also detected on the jacket and under Riley’s fingernails, further linking him to the crime, according to forensic testimony.
Tuesday’s proceedings closed after a dozen law enforcement officers, Riley’s roommate and a woman who lived in an apartment with Ibarra testified.
