The jury sitting on the trial of the man accused of murdering Damien Heagney has been discharged by a senior judge. The remains of 47-year-old Mr Heagney were recovered from a reservoir in Cappagh in August 2022.

The suspect in the Laken Riley murder trial waived his right to a jury trial and instead requested a trial by judge. The motion came during a pretrial hearing for Jose Ibarra on Tuesday. Jury selection had been scheduled to start on Wednesday. The judge granted the motion for a bench trial, which will begin Friday at 9 a.m.

Laken Riley, a student at Augusta University, was found dead in a wooded area on the Athens campus on Feb. 22 after she didn't return from a run.