Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 #11

[Deleted member 227458]

The Springfield 3 haunts me.

Alexsea, me, too. I'm especially haunted by the thought of poor Stacy McCall. I'm pretty convinced she was just completely at the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[Seattle1]

The fact she had her workshirt but not her contacts/glasses throws me off. Either she slept in the shirt (maybe went to bed super late and planned to just roll off to work in the am) or that she had an extra pair of contacts and was wearing a set (I notoriously sleep in mine ).

I’m still stuck on that detail. But going with the later, since the dogs were put away as if she was ready for work and left the house safely.

Sorry but I'm not feeling this "red shirt find" at all, and can't explain it, but I do understand how a farm hand finding clothing while mowing could evolve to the latest unconfirmed (by LE) report that Mollie's red t-shirt located. I also recollect that Iowa/Midwest farming during summer season makes for very long, hot, days where one typically starts a field day with a supply of drinking water, t-shirts, and handkerchiefs. I vividly recall Grandmother taking lunch to the field, and coming back to the house with a handful of t-shirts she picked from fence posts to truck beds that went straight to the laundry. It's nearly impossible not to leave a shirt or two behind.

 

[MassGuy]

Hey guys any conversation about the interview with WC?

And what happened with the searches today? Any other info besides the fact that they have been searching hard in a square mile radius? And someone found a red shirt? And the reward skyrocketed?

Also, I really want to thank everyone who gave me updates on the last thread. I tried to quote to thank you all directly but I got shut out!

It was very kind. Much appreciated!!

I’ll contribute on the first part. There are other people better informed on the rest.

We did talk about WC (that’s how we have been advised by the moderators to refer to him). We discussed his obvious nervousness, and record of stalking. There were various opinions on him and what his nervousness meant. I thought that he was just a nervous guy by nature.

 

[Deleted member 227458]

Could she have been taking out the garbage cans or putting them back that morning? Could it have been a garbage day? Could she have run out to the mailbox?

That could explain why the glasses/contacts were left behind & dogs were put away w/ food & water.

Another question about the timeline: 1) did they find her pajamas or her jogging clothes from the previous night? All I have heard about is the red shirt. Did she normally eat breakfast before work? Any dirty dishes or food wrappers indicating she ate dinner or breakfast there at the house?

Great questions re: whether or not there was any evidence of meal prep and/or remains and if so, were they breakfast or dinner dishes, leftovers, etc. Also, I've wondered if there were damp towels in the bathroom. Was her toothbrush wet or damp, or was it dry?

 

[katydid23]

Wow been offline most of the day...this is just so riveting I can hardly breathe.
I am so happy to have the locals and all the new members join us. Also thanks to everyone for the links and for keeping us all updated.
Personally, I don't know what to think. We've seen this kind of activity by LE before in other cases without results. Remember dear DeOrr? [I hate to write "remember" in reference to him ]
Hoping for the best while already braced for the worst.
Truly I pray that Mollie has not become "The Next Girl".
Prayers and wishes for Mollie from everywhere tonight.
ETA---not caught up? What evidence has been found???? TIA

I have been thinking about lil DeOrr because this WC guy reminds me very much of the 4th person, the friend, at the camp site, when lil DeOrr went missing.

I say that because the friend at the campsite was thrown into the public eye when he groggily answered his door one morning, with no shirt on and his hair all messy. And he sounded so confused and shady and nervous when the news reporter began interviewing him.

I became very suspicious of him after that interview. Especially when we found out he had previous arrest for sexual charges with a minor.

But months later, we found out, that this nervous confused guy, was actually the only one of the 4, that was truthful and consistent with the investigators. Unlike the parents and the grandfather, this friend was actually being honest.

But that interview with the reporter did not do him any favors.

 

[otto]

I don't think she made it to the next morning. I'm about 10 years older than Mollie and NO ONE her/my age is up getting ready in the morning without checking their phone, maybe liking something on facebook or whatever. This would be entirely traceable. The fact that there was even any confusion that she might have gotten abducted on her run shows me they know she wasn't around the house in the morning.

Ok, so if she disappeared the night before, why did the shirt for the next day also disappear? So she was alone at the house. When I'm alone, I'm often minimally clothed, ESPECIALLY in the hot days of summer. Lets say she was maybe studying and had the dogs locked up to focus, or was about to take a shower, or was even asleep-- any one of these scenarios could be done with minimal clothing. So she's at her desk naked or in a bra, perp either comes in and demands she comes with (and she throws on her shirt for the next day) or she hears something outside and throws on the shirt. Out of habit she has the phone with her. She has on the next days shirt because it was out and the fastest thing to grab.

Russell Williams, a brutal, violent sex offender offered his victims aspirin after hitting them so hard in the head that they developed a headache. He let some women live.

I don't see it as a big stretch for someone to be in her house when she returned from her run, someone who remained silent until she got ready for bed.

I like the idea that she heard something and put on her morning work clothes to check it out. I don't think she put off sorting out the car until the next morning.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

https://nypost.com/2018/08/02/i-was-distraught-mom-recalls-last-text-sent-to-missing-daughter/

bbm

Laura Calderwood, the mother of University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts, immediately knew something was terribly wrong when her daughter didn’t show up for her job at a daycare on July 19.

“The night she went missing I was distraught,” she told KKCI 8. “I knew her phone was dead, but I sent her a text saying, ‘I love you. We’re looking for you.'”

I realize LC is not a POI. I'm analyzing LC's recent comments only to highlight how assumptions may be formed based on even the slightest of misconception.

 

[Seattle1]

Fitbit gurus: If Mollie's phone was disabled and unable to sync to her fitbit, could the fitbit sync with another nearby phone? Would that phone have to have a fitbit app? Or does it automatically do it?

Could the fitbit sync with perp's phone? tia!!

I believe fitbit using bluetooth to hit your phone which would be paired usually with password but I could be wrong.

 

[boomburger]

Certainly on the second but unsure of the first. Some living people have been missing for a very long time. Their cases just don't dominate media as Mollie's and others do.

I think there would be too many variables had Mollie simply run away or been kidnapped, especially now that two weeks have passed, to make it viable under Occam's razor. I mean, I hope this is just a runaway case of a girl who had enough of her life and wanted to start fresh in another state, but the theory that fits best with the least amount of variables would be that she is missing because she is dead.

 

[gitana1]

I’ll contribute on the first part. There are other people better informed on the rest.

We did talk about WC (that’s how we have been advised by the moderators to refer to him). We discussed his obvious nervousness, and record of stalking. There were various opinions on him and what his nervousness meant. I thought that he was just a nervous guy by nature.

Thank you!! I edited it back to have only initials. Could you do the same on the quote in your post?

I don't want to make the mods mad! Ha ha!

I found it very odd and somewhat troubling. It makes me think about a poster who wished reporters would talk to neighbors and see if they could find one that caused some light bulbs to go off and caused focus, as happened in a case they mentioned.

But clearly LE have questioned the guy. They've probably questioned every person with any kind of record in the vicinity.

His statement that he didn't notice searches searching across the road struck me as dishonest.

But he could indeed just be generally nervous, shifty type of person. That doesn't necessarily mean a thing.

 

[MassGuy]

I think there would be too many variables had Mollie simply run away or been kidnapped, especially now that two weeks have passed, to make it viable under Occam's razor. I mean, I hope this is just a runaway case of a girl who had enough of her life and wanted to start fresh in another state, but the theory that fits best with the least amount of variables would be that she is missing because she is dead.

Exactly. The simplest, and I would argue most likely explanation, is that she was kidnapped and ultimately murdered. As much as we all hope for a happy ending, it’s less likely than what we fear.

 

[MassGuy]

Thank you!! I edited it back to have only initials. Could you do the same on the quote in your post?

I don't want to make the mods mad! Ha ha!

I found it very odd and somewhat troubling. It makes me think about a poster who wished reporters would talk to neighbors and see if they could find one that caused some light bulbs to go off and caused focus, as happened in a case they mentioned.

But clearly LE have questioned the guy. They've probably questioned every person with any kind of record in the vicinity.

His statement that he didn't notice searches searching across the road struck me as dishonest.

But he could indeed just be generally nervous, shifty type of person. That doesn't necessarily mean a thing.

Done. Yeah, I’m keeping an open mind with him. He seemed nervous and quite frankly, unsophisticated. He was evasive and said some things that didn’t ring true. Absent of anything else though, I’m inclined to think he’s not involved. That could obviously change if we learn new information though.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

gliving said: ↑
Fitbit gurus: If Mollie's phone was disabled and unable to sync to her fitbit, could the fitbit sync with another nearby phone? Would that phone have to have a fitbit app? Or does it automatically do it?

Could the fitbit sync with perp's phone? tia!!

I believe fitbit using bluetooth to hit your phone which would be paired usually with password but I could be wrong.

The Fitbit device has to be manually configured to connect to a particular Bluetooth device(s). After configuration, the Fitbit may then sync to the Bluetooth device (phone, laptop or desktop PC that are Bluetooth capable).

 

[otto]

Sorry but I'm not feeling this "red shirt find" at all, and can't explain it, but I do understand how a farm hand finding clothing while mowing could evolve to the latest unconfirmed (by LE) report that Mollie's red t-shirt located. I also recollect that Iowa/Midwest farming during summer season makes for very long, hot, days where one typically starts a field day with a supply of drinking water, t-shirts, and handkerchiefs. I vividly recall Grandmother taking lunch to the field, and coming back to the house with a handful of t-shirts she picked from fence posts to truck beds that went straight to the laundry. It's nearly impossible not to leave a shirt or two behind.

Yesterday morning I noticed what looked like a garbage bag caught in the branches of the blue spruce in my front yard. It was in fact a travel bag filled with several toques/winter hats, bungee cords, a flashlight, overalls, and other contents (probably stolen). Maybe something like that happened here, except the red t-shirt was there for perhaps 2 weeks before the lawn guy arrived?

 

[distracted]

I don't think she made it to the next morning. I'm about 10 years older than Mollie and NO ONE her/my age is up getting ready in the morning without checking their phone, maybe liking something on facebook or whatever. This would be entirely traceable. The fact that there was even any confusion that she might have gotten abducted on her run shows me they know she wasn't around the house in the morning.

Ok, so if she disappeared the night before, why did the shirt for the next day also disappear? So she was alone at the house. When I'm alone, I'm often minimally clothed, ESPECIALLY in the hot days of summer. Lets say she was maybe studying and had the dogs locked up to focus, or was about to take a shower, or was even asleep-- any one of these scenarios could be done with minimal clothing. So she's at her desk naked or in a bra, perp either comes in and demands she comes with (and she throws on her shirt for the next day) or she hears something outside and throws on the shirt. Out of habit she has the phone with her. She has on the next days shirt because it was out and the fastest thing to grab.

I can't reconcile the missing shirt with a disappearance before morning or with a house that has not been declared a crime scene.

But if she put the shirt on to sleep in, as some have suggested, and then made plans with someone she knew and left with that person or persons wearing the shirt, then that's a theory I can reconcile.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Still no mention by LE or in news articles regarding activity or no activity on MT's bank accounts?

Does no mention, ever, mean LE never bothered to investigate that aspect? If so, why?

 

[otto]

The Fitbit device has to be manually configured to connect to a particular Bluetooth device(s). After configuration, the Fitbit may then sync to the Bluetooth device (phone, laptop or desktop PC that are Bluetooth capable).

I'd like to learn more about wifi smart tech, the fitbit, how data connects to wifi and doesn't it have to go through a phone or other connected device?

So, the Fitbit is a wifi connection, but it has to sync through the phone to get the wifi range? If the phone and Fitbit are more than 3 miles apart, they do not sync?

 

[MassGuy]

Still no mention by LE or in news articles regarding activity or no activity on MT's bank accounts?

Does no mention, ever, mean LE never bothered to investigate that aspect? If so, why?

They absolutely would have as standard procedure. Perhaps the question was asked by the media, and not answered, like all the other questions LE has declined to answer.

 

[HastingsChi]

Just a thought:

If she did in fact return to the house and was using the computer and there was an "incident", there's a good chance that LE did not find any "foreign" fingerprints or DNA, but only fingerprints and DNA that they expected to be there and that person sanitized the scene leaving no evidence an "incident" occurred; then recovery becomes a priority because that's where they will find the forensic evidence to make the connection.

If this sounds farfetched or familiar, it's because what I described is essentially the Scott and Laci Peterson case where LE didn't have enough to arrest and charge Scott until recovery.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

I'd like to learn more about wifi smart tech, the fitbit, how data connects to wifi and doesn't it have to go through a phone or other connected device?

So, the Fitbit is a wifi connection, but it has to sync through the phone to get the wifi range? If the phone and Fitbit are more than 3 miles apart, they do not sync?

Only certain Fitbit devices are wifi-enabled, such as their 'watch' products. Other Fitbit devices communicate via Bluetooth. The devices are small and battery-powered so power is limited.

Bluetooth has three class designations:

Class 1 device is 100 meters @ 100mW power.
Class 2 device is 10 meters @ 2.5 mW power.
Class 3 device is less than 10 meters @ 1mW power.

Usable range depends on transmission power and surroundings. That, and being small-battery powered means Fitbit communication range is typically less than maximum defined range. Assume ~10 meters or less range and you're golden.