The illegal immigrant accused of murdering Georgia nursing student Laken Riley earlier this year reportedly stayed at a taxpayer-funded luxury hotel in New York City before flying to Georgia on a government-funded “humanitarian flight,” according to testimony during his trial, reports National Review.

Jose Antonio Ibarra, the suspect in Riley’s brutal killing, stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, which New York City converted into a processing center for the influx of migrants. Testimony revealed that Ibarra left the hotel in September 2023 to fly to Atlanta with his roommate, Rosebeli Flores-Bello, before settling in Athens, Georgia.

On Monday, Flores-Bello testified at Ibarra’s trial, stating that they departed the Roosevelt Hotel around September 10, 2023. The two traveled to an apartment in Athens, Georgia, where Ibarra lived with his brother Diego. Flores-Bello, a Venezuelan migrant, testified that she had known Ibarra for about a month and moved to Athens based on Diego’s promise of employment opportunities.

At the time of their arrival, Diego Ibarra, who later pleaded guilty to possessing a fake green card, was already living in the Athens apartment. Diego is alleged to have ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, compounding concerns about the broader implications of lax border enforcement policies.

Once an iconic landmark, the Roosevelt Hotel became a focal point of national attention when New York City repurposed it as a processing center for thousands of migrants. The hotel provided meals, medical care, and assistance with asylum paperwork, symbolizing the challenges faced by overwhelmed local services, explains National Review.

Ibarra’s brief stay at the hotel and subsequent flight to Georgia were part of efforts to address the surge of migrants arriving in New York City, which struggled under the weight of the Biden administration’s immigration policies.

Ibarra’s alleged killing of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley occurred in February while she was jogging near the University of Georgia’s campus. Authorities say Ibarra brutally attacked Riley, causing fatal blunt force trauma to her head.

The murder sparked national outrage, becoming a flashpoint in debates over illegal immigration and border security. The case drew attention during President Biden’s State of the Union address, where he was interrupted by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) urging him to say Riley’s name.

Biden faced backlash after accurately describing Ibarra as “illegal.” Progressive critics pressured him to apologize for not using the term “undocumented” instead.

Ibarra, who waived his right to a jury trial, is facing charges of felony murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and aggravated battery. If convicted, he could face life in prison.