CNN
—

A man accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley while she was jogging earlier this year was convicted Wednesday and sentenced to life without parole in a case that rekindled the national debate over immigration and crime flare up.

Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old undocumented migrant from Venezuela, was convicted of a total of ten charges, including murder, kidnapping with bodily harm, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and tampering with evidence.

Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard reached the verdict after hearing evidence and testimony from dozens of experts and law enforcement officials, as well as from both Ibarra and Riley’s roommates since last week. The defense and the prosecution agreed to a judicial trial, in which the judge alone decides the facts of the case and the application of the law.

Riley, a student at Augusta University’s Athens campus, was found dead on Feb. 22 in a wooded area near the University of Georgia trail she often visited. According to court documents, she was hit in the head several times with a rock and choked to death.

Riley’s family cried and several sobs and gasps were heard in the courtroom as the first guilty verdict was announced. Her mother and sister described the heartbreaking impact of Riley’s death as they gave their victim impact statements before the judge handed down the sentence.

“This monster has taken away our chances of seeing Laken graduate from nursing school. He took away our opportunity to meet our future son-in-law. He destroyed our chances of meeting our grandchildren. And he took my best friend,” Riley’s mother, Allyson Phillips, said in court Wednesday.

“He ripped away every beautiful memory we will ever have with her,” she added, sobbing.

Phillips described her daughter as “smart, hardworking, kind, thoughtful and, most importantly, she was a child of God.”

Riley’s roommate Connolly Huth told Judge Haggard she has lost the joy of running and is afraid to take it up again.

“I don’t run every day anymore,” Huth said. “I can’t imagine running if I’m constantly looking over my shoulder in public wondering if I’m next.”

As the sentence was read, Ibarra was seen mainly looking down. He had shown little emotion during the trial.

Prosecutors presented DNA evidence and the defense advanced an alternate theory

Over four days of testimony, Georgia prosecutors presented a range of digital and physical evidence, including DNA, digital data and surveillance to link Ibarra to Riley’s murder. Meanwhile, the defense focused on questioning the state’s evidence and advanced an alternate theory of the case, positing that one of Ibarra’s brothers was responsible for the murder.

“Evidence that is open to more than one interpretation is not evidence beyond a reasonable doubt,” attorney Kaitlyn Beck said in her closing argument Wednesday.

“I strongly remind you that even if you believe that the alternative theories of the evidence are less likely, but there is some reasonable doubt, you are still obligated to find Mr. Ibarra innocent,” she added.

Prosecutors said genetic testing of Riley’s fingernail clippings showed a link to Ibarra’s genetic profile. Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab scientist Ashley Hinkle testified Tuesday that a person generally has to have “either some kind of scratching or contact with the inside of the fingernail” to get someone else’s DNA under their fingernails.

In separate testimony, UGA police Sgt. Joshua Epps said he saw what appeared to be fingernail scratches on Ibarra’s arms and left wrist when he met him the day after Riley’s murder. The defense questioned the quality of that DNA evidence and its analysis.

In addition, a blood-like stain on a navy blue jacket found in a dumpster contained Riley and Ibarra’s DNA, Hinkle testified. A witness also reported seeing a person wearing a navy blue jacket on the morning of Riley’s murder.

Surveillance footage showed an unknown person wearing a black Adidas hat stuffing the jacket into the dumpster. Prosecutors said police saw Ibarra’s brother wearing that hat the next day, prompting them to question Ibarra. Investigators also presented a series of selfies that they said Ibarra took of himself with his own phone. In those photos, he appears to be wearing clothing that matches that seen in the surveillance video.

Several Republican leaders responded to Wednesday’s verdict and sentencing, with many of them previously highlighting the case in support of their calls for tighter border security. Data reviewed by CNN indicates there is no significant link between illegal immigration and violent crime.

President-elect Donald Trump said in a statement that he hoped the guilty verdict can bring Riley’s family “some peace and closure,” saying: “It is time to secure our border and get these criminals and thugs out of our country.” delete, so nothing like this. Could happen again!”

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp called Riley’s death “senseless” and applauded the courage her family showed during the murder trial. He denounced current immigration policies and said Ibarra should not have been allowed to enter the United States.

“The open border policy has failed Laken Riley, and today’s verdict reminds us that the safety of our communities must remain our first priority. While our state has taken significant action to address the impact of the border crisis, I will not hesitate to support efforts that secure our border and keep this state and our nation safe,” Kemp said in a statement.

After Riley’s murder, Georgia officials signed the Immigration Enforcement Act. The law requires local and state law enforcement to verify the immigration status of those over the age of 18 who have been arrested, those in custody or those who an “officer has probable cause to believe” have committed a crime.