And successful summation to sharing her hopes that her aboriginal spouse would stock her Christian faith, Riley wrote, “I can't hold to emotion you successful the champion mode I cognize however for the remainder of our lives I commune you cognize and consciousness the value of my emotion and hopes for our narration nary substance what challenges we face.”

After speechmaking the introduction aloud, Phillips addressed the judge, “Your Honor, that was our beauteous Laken.  That is conscionable a glimpse of what was tragically and brutally taken from her and america that day: the champion daughter, sister, granddaughter, friend, wide idiosyncratic that you could ever anticipation to meet.”

“While it's existent that nary of our lives volition ever beryllium the same,” helium continued, “we garbage to fto this idiosyncratic rob Laken of the anticipation she gave to her family, loved ones, friends and the satellite arsenic a whole. We volition proudly transportation this anticipation connected successful her sanction successful the days ahead, and for the remainder of our lives.”

Phillips’ words were 1 of aggregate unfortunate interaction statements that were shared by Riley’s loved ones during the Nov. 20 tribunal date.

During the time successful court, Ibarra was convicted connected 10 counts, including 3 for felony murder, 1 for malice murder, positive kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated battle with intent to rape and being a "peeping Tom," as NBC News reported.

Following his conviction, the presiding justice sentenced Ibarra to 2 beingness sentences and 49 years successful prison, each to beryllium served consecutively.

The condemnation and sentencing travel 9 months aft Riley was killed astatine the property of 22 portion moving connected University of Georgia’s Athens campus. She was recovered dormant successful a forested country aft her roommates called the constabulary erstwhile she did not instrumentality home.

Ibarra’s DNA was discovered nether Riley’s fingernails, according to grounds presented by the prosecution, and his thumb people was recovered connected her iPhone. While helium initially pleaded not blameworthy to his charges, Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard handed down the blameworthy verdict connected the 4th day of Ibarra's bench trial. The suspect had waived his close to a assemblage proceedings and did not attest successful his ain defense.

Riley’s parent Allyson Phillips besides shared an interaction statement successful court, mourning the nonaccomplishment of her daughter, who is survived by her parents, 2 sisters and a brother.

"This monster took distant our chances to spot Laken postgraduate from nursing school," Allyson said. “He took distant our quality to conscionable our aboriginal son-in-law. He destroyed our chances of gathering our grandchildren, and helium took my champion friend."

She continued, “He took distant each beauteous representation we won’t ever beryllium capable to marque with her again."

(E! and NBC News are portion of the NBCUniversal family.)