Allyson Phillips will never recover from the loss of her daughter Laken Riley.
Just before Jose Antonio Ibarra was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of the Augusta University nursing student, her mother shared a victim impact statement saying the defendant “robbed” her family of “all our hopes and dreams.”
“This monster took away our chances to see Laken graduate from nursing school,” Phillips said, per NBC News, through tears at the Nov. 20 sentencing. “He took away our ability to meet our future son-in-law. He destroyed our chances of meeting our grandchildren, and he took my best friend.”
She continued, “He took away every beautiful memory we won’t ever be able to make with her again.”
Riley’s mom—who also shares daughter Lauren Riley with ex Jason Riley—went on to painfully describe her daughter’s final moments before she was murdered on the morning of February 22 during a run.
“On that horrific day, my precious daughter was attacked, beaten and shown no mercy,” she continued. “She fought her life and dignity and to save herself from being brutally raped.”
Phillips emphasized how the loss of her 22-year-old daughter has felt over the last nine months.
“Laken’s life was not the only life taken on that day that Jose Ibarra attacked her,” she added. “The life of her family and friends was taken, too. None of us will ever be the same."
Prior to Judge H. Patrick Haggard issuing his sentence, Phillips urged him to see to it that Ibarra “never gets the chance to hurt anyone else ever again.”
Indeed, Ibarra was convicted on all 10 counts Nov. 20, per NBC News, including three for felony murder, one for malice murder, plus kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape and being a “peeping Tom.”
After his sentencing was given, Ibarra was escorted out of the courtroom. Haggard told the remaining congregation as the proceedings ended, per CNN, “I wish you all the best."