1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: Crime a art hourly update, breaking crime news Now. I'm 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:08,479 Speaker 1: Jennifer Gould. It was judgment day for Jose E. Bara, 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: the man accused of the horrific murder of University of 4 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:16,439 Speaker 1: Georgia nursing student Lake and Riley. The courtroom fell silent 5 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: as each verdict was read aloud by Judge Patrick Haggard in. 6 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 2: The State of Georgia versus Jose Antonio Obara Case SU 7 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 2: twenty four Cr. Zero three two three, Count one malice murder. 8 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 2: I found the defendant guilty, Count two felony murder. I 9 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 2: found the defendant guilty, Count three felony murder. I found 10 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 2: the defendant guilty. 11 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: Jose Ebarra was found guilty on all ten counts in 12 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: an Athens courtroom. Judge Haggard returned to the bench just 13 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: nineteen minutes after both sides made their closing arguments. The 14 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: verdict marks the end of a trial that laid bare 15 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: the brutality of the crime and the pain it inflicted 16 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: on the victims family and the entire community. Riley, a 17 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: bright and promising young woman, was last seen on February 18 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: twenty second, twenty twenty three, setting out for her morning 19 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: jog when she failed to return. Friends and family grew 20 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: increasingly concerned, and a frantic search ensued. Utilizing a foam 21 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: finding app, her friends tracked her last known location to 22 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 1: a wooded area near the Augusta University campus. There, sadly, 23 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: the twenty two year old's body was discovered bloody and lifeless. 24 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 1: Her head had been bashed in with a rock. The 25 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 1: medical examiner found Riley died of blunt force trauma and strangulation. 26 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: The investigation quickly zeroed in on Ebarra, a twenty six 27 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: year old man who had recently immigrated to the United States. 28 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: Unlike traditional jury trials, Ebarra opted for a bench trial, 29 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: meaning a single judge would decide his fate. Prosecutors painted 30 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: a chilling picture of the events leading up to Riley's 31 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: tragic death. They argued that Ebarra had been quote hunting 32 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: end quote for women on the morning of the murder, 33 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: and that Riley became his target, but she quote fought 34 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,079 Speaker 1: for her life and her dignity end quote during the 35 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 1: brutal attack for eighteen excruciating minutes. Surveillance footage captured Ebarra 36 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: loitering near campus, and witnesses testify to seeing him acting 37 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: suspiciously in the area. The prosecution's case relied heavily on 38 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: forensic evidence, including DNA analysis and cell phone data. They 39 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: presented evidence that Ibarra's DNA was found under Riley's fingernails 40 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: and his thumb print on her cell phone. Prosecutors also 41 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,119 Speaker 1: say a navy blue jacket Ibarra was wearing that Fateful day, 42 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: found discarded in a dumpster not far from the crime scene, 43 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: had both his and Riley's blood on it. Witnesses testified 44 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: that Ibarra had a history of stalking and harassing women. 45 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 1: Just hours before Riley's murder, he had been accused of 46 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 1: peering into a woman's window. The defense, in a desper 47 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 1: attempt to cast out on the prosecution's case, suggested alternative 48 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:07,119 Speaker 1: theories about Riley's death, going so far as to pin 49 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: the crime on Ibarra's brother, Diego. They also insisted that 50 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 1: the evidence in the case was circumstantial. Throughout the trial, 51 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: Ebarra's demeanor was unsettling. He often appeared disengaged and emotionless, 52 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: even when confronted with the horrific details of the crime, 53 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: sometimes even smiling in court. That callous behavior continued as 54 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: each guilty count was read aloud while Riley's family sobbed 55 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: and held hands, relieved that their daughter would finally receive justice. 56 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: Ibarra was charged with malice, murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and 57 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: related crimes, and subsequently sentenced to life in prison without 58 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: the possibility of pearl. 59 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 3: I'm Nicole Hart. Susan Smith, who has spent three decades 60 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 3: serving a life sentence for the tragic deaths of her 61 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 3: two young sons in nineteen ninety four, was denied parole 62 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 3: by the South Carolina Board of Paroles and Pardons on Wednesday. 63 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 3: During her hearing, Smith appeared via video to advocate for 64 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 3: her release, expressing remorse for her actions. She is currently 65 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 3: incarcerated at Leath Correctional Institute after admitting to driving her 66 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 3: vehicle into a lake, resulting in the deaths of her 67 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 3: three year old son, Michael and fourteen month old son Alex. Quote. 68 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 3: I understand that what I did was inexcusable, she sobbed 69 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 3: as she addressed the board. 70 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 1: There's a marvel. 71 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 4: I want to say, how You're sorry. 72 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: I am It's okay. Susan just talked with us. 73 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 3: It was so horrible. 74 00:04:54,680 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 4: And I will give anything I give and change it, 75 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 4: and I love. 76 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:07,799 Speaker 3: Michael and allens O. The board inquired about Smith's past 77 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 3: disciplinary issues while in prison, to which she responded that 78 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 3: she had gained valuable insights from her past behavior. Concluding 79 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 3: her testimony, Smith requested the board to consider granting her parole. 80 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 3: The hearing then shifted to allow witnesses to voice their opposition, 81 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 3: including David Smith, her ex husband, and the boy's father. 82 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 3: Quote what she did to Michael and Alex almost destroyed me. 83 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 3: The grief was unbearable, David Smith stated before the board. 84 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 3: In November nineteen ninety four, the then twenty three year 85 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 3: old Susan Smith reported that a black man had carjacked 86 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 3: her taken her children in the town of Union, South Carolina, 87 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 3: which sparked a widespread manhunt and significant media coverage. However, 88 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 3: it was later revealed that her sons were already dead, 89 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 3: secured in their car seats at the bottom of nearby 90 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 3: John D. Long Lake from the outset. Investigators questioned the 91 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 3: validity of Smith's claims, and eventually, under intense scrutiny, she 92 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:12,039 Speaker 3: confessed to the heinous act of driving her car into 93 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 3: the lake. The case garnered international attention and her murder 94 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 3: trial in nineteen ninety five was closely followed around the globe. 95 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:24,479 Speaker 3: The prosecution highlighted evidence of Smith's affair with her boss's 96 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 3: wealthy son, who had recently ended the relationship due to 97 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 3: his reluctance to have children. Smith's defense argued that she 98 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 3: was battling severe depression and pseudicidal thoughts, claiming she had 99 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 3: intended to die with her children. Ultimately, she was found 100 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 3: guilty of murder. Now fifty three, Smith has completed thirty 101 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 3: years of her life sentence, making her eligible for parole 102 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 3: in accordance with the laws in place during her trial. 103 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 3: According to the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and 104 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 3: Pardon Services, parole is granted to violent offenders only about 105 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 3: eight percent of the time. As of early November, the 106 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 3: Office of Victim Services reported receiving over three hundred and 107 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 3: sixty communications regarding Smith's parole hearing, with nearly all but 108 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 3: six opposing her release. 109 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 4: I'm Drew Nelson, a nephew in Texas, allegedly shoots his uncle, 110 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 4: claiming he felt unloved and unwelcome in the home. Authorities 111 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 4: arrested twenty two year old Antonio Guzman after he confessed 112 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 4: to killing his uncle, Jose Torres in Harris County. The 113 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 4: shooting happened to Torres's home. Guzman, who had been raised 114 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 4: by Torres for six years, said he felt unwanted in 115 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 4: the home. According to police, Torres, ag thirty seven, was 116 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 4: trimming trees outside his house that afternoon. A neighbor, Lysette Acosta, 117 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 4: said she noticed him working while she was on her 118 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 4: way to her job, saying that they held eye contact 119 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 4: for a moment as she backed her fan out. Torres 120 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 4: was supposed to pick up his family from school later 121 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 4: that day, but when he never arrived, they had to 122 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 4: find another ride home. Upon arriving, they found Torres inside, 123 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 4: shot in the face multiple times. Neighbors heard the family 124 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 4: screams as they discovered the scene. Acosta told k t 125 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 4: r K she said that. 126 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 3: Is because the monk came to her and then she 127 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 3: was crying. She said, they kill my little baby, and 128 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 3: she hugged my mom, so my mom started crying too. 129 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,239 Speaker 4: The investigator said. Surveillance footage showed Guzman at the house 130 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 4: around the time of the murder. He allegedly entered the home, 131 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 4: shat Torres, and then left. Guzman was eventually arrested at 132 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 4: his own residence. Police said they tracked him down using 133 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 4: video footage showing him limping away from the scene. Torres's 134 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 4: wife told officers that he had anger control problems, owned 135 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 4: a gun, and was known to have a foot ailment 136 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 4: that caused him to limb. During questioning, Guzman reportedly confessed 137 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 4: he admitted to going to his uncle's house and shooting 138 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 4: him while they were alone because he felt unloved and unwelcome. 139 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 4: Guzman was charged with murder and being held on a 140 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 4: two hundred thousand dollars bond. The judge ordered him not 141 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 4: to contact the family if he's released on bond. Jose 142 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 4: Torres was remembered as a dedicated public service. He worked 143 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 4: as a dispatcher for the Spring Branch Independent School District 144 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,319 Speaker 4: Police Department and was known for his kindness and service. 145 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 4: The department said in a statement, quote, he devoted his 146 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 4: life to serving and protecting our community. He will be 147 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 4: remembered for his own wavering commitment, his kindness, and his 148 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,679 Speaker 4: service to others. For the latest crime and justice news, 149 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:22,960 Speaker 4: follow Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app 150 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 4: with this crime Alert. I'm Drew Nelson.