Ibarra’s lawyers argued that the evidence linking him to Ms Riley’s death was “circumstantial”.

Ms. Riley, who lived in the northeast Georgia city of Athens, was found dead in a wooded area of ​​the UGA campus after she failed to return from her morning run.

Ibarra was arrested a day later.

On Wednesday, he was found guilty of all 10 counts, including felony murder, kidnapping with bodily harm and aggravated assault with intent to rape.

Ibarra had waived his right to a jury trial, meaning his case was heard and decided by County Judge H Patrick Haggard.

He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, as prosecutors had requested.

Prosecutors told the court that Ibarra saw Riley as she was running on the UGA campus and “struck her skull with a rock.”

Data from Ms Riley’s smartwatch showed she was “fighting for her life, fighting for her dignity” just minutes after she took off running, the trial heard.

The victim’s struggle was “fierce,” the lead prosecutor said. Ms Riley called the police at 09:11 that morning and her heart stopped at 09:28 with no movement from her device.

Ibarra’s lawyer had argued that the lack of evidence linking his client to Ms Riley’s death.

But prosecutors said evidence showed Ibarra’s DNA was found under Ms Riley’s fingernails, pointing to a fight between them.

The trial, which began last Friday, included testimony from more than a dozen law enforcement officers, Ms. Riley’s former roommate and a woman who lived in the same apartment as Ibarra.

Rosbeli Flores-Bello, Ibarra’s former roommate, testified that the two traveled together from New York City, where they were living in a migrant shelter, to Georgia in search of work.

Ibarra entered the US illegally on September 8, 2022, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He was later released for further processing.

ICE said Ibarra was arrested in New York City in September 2023 and charged with “acting in a manner to injure a child under the age of 17 and a driver’s license violation.”

He was released by the NYPD, ICE officials said.

Ms. Riley’s name has become a rallying cry for conservatives as border security has emerged as a defining issue in the race for the White House.

In March, President Joe Biden, a Democrat, was tormented by her killing during his State of the Union address to Congress.

Republican lawmakers said it was the White House’s fault that Ibarra was able to stay in the country despite his criminal record.

President-elect Donald Trump, a Republican, often invoked Ms. Riley’s name on the campaign trail.

Trump reacted to Ibarra’s guilty verdict, writing on Truth Social that he hoped the outcome of the trial “can bring some peace and closure to her wonderful family who fought for justice.”

“It’s time to secure our border,” Trump added.

A National Institute of Justice , externalThe study suggests that undocumented immigrants in the US are arrested for violent and drug crimes at less than half the rate of native-born citizens.