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

[margarita25]

LE is obviously working their tails off, imo. I don’t quite get how anybody could think otherwise? They want to get to the bottom of this. This is their job. The pressure that they are under...if I were LE and read some the negative comments I would be quite frustrated and offended honestly.

Cont. now with that being said, I understand (refresh error, post in prigress) the lack of information can be frustrating sometimes. We do know that often LE chooses not to implement, as our Late Great Foxfire would say, “the public, their greatest tool ” which can be a huuuuge nistake But in this case, I do think that they are aware of this potential value of SM, etc, but at this time it is not beneficial to release certain information.

Now if it turns out there’s a SK out there all this time and they knew it, then I might definitely question this approach. But even then we just don’t know, maybe they dont want to tip someone off, etc.

Hopefully there is progress behind the scenes!!! Meanwhile keep calling in tips!

 

[tokyorose]

Hi KaaBoom :wave:,

Respectfully, in Jessica’s case there is no way we could have antipated or know. Who her killer was. He was not even legally an adult at the time and had no criminal history (while in hindsight Ren could have been signs...).

So often sexual predators walk among us and we have no idea, moo.

Which leads my mind back to the possibility of a neighbor. Of course they would have all been interviewed via canvassing, etc...but we’ve seen this sooo many times here...

Oh my margarita, I had no idea... that case is what brought me to web sleuths.

 

[Nofrillsmcgee]

The electric co-op website states as follows...
Payment Options | T.I.P. Rural Electric Cooperative

 

[mnnative]

Welcome!

And right? How WOULD anyone know they have a vital clue when we don’t know a location, or a timeline, or anything.

I've seen this repeated several times here and don't understand the sentiment.

How much more of a timeline and location do you need? You know When she was last seen, where she was last seen, what she was suspected to be wearing, what she looks like, ect. Not trying to be combative but this constant demand for specifics seems silly. They are withholding information to help the investigation, not out of incompetence.

 

[Momma2cam]

I don't believe those are the odds. In a small town everybody knows everybody and their business. If there is somebody in town who would do something like this, everybody would know who that person is. They would be the POI, but there is no indication that there are any suspects.

This defies what we know statistically about the profile of predators. Often, these people live normal everyday lives and in fact would never be suspected of such crimes as a result .Especially if it is a crime of passion. Moo.

 

[kkdj]

I think the shirt was Mollie's. MOO but it might not have been the red shirt ( which was rumored to be at work all along anyway) but it could have been the shirt she was wearing in that last snapchat sent to Dalton. Assuming that's the case why would it be in a ditch on the side of the road? 3 reasons I can think of...1. thrown out of a vehicle on the way out of town ( I actually don't think this is likely... why do this?) 2. to taunt family and police ( risky because it confirms perp is local and not long gone) 3. all the media attention this item has gotten would make it very bad to find in your home if you thought it was going to be searched. Moo

4. Just some immature knucklehead that thought it would be funny to toss a red shirt alongside the road.

 

[Deleted member 227095]

Missing Person info person giving perspective on the numbers of missing persons.

Surprised none of the local press jumped on opportunity to question State official about missing juvi stats. Clearly there is an issue in state with the juvi situation. It was the sound of crickets today. Maybe they didn't want to take away from focus on MT but press usually don't demonstrate that level of sensitivity and typically jump on opportunity to get a story. Other idea for no press questions on topic was that the person sent by the State was simply a numbers person/bureaucrat and not empowered to address the issue in a meaningful way.

 

[Flowercb]

You can't honestly think they aren't telling the family anything. What they are telling the family far exceeds what they are telling the public, and for good reason. The only reason people are mad about them not telling the public much is because they don't want it to get twisted and spun like it inevitably will. They are doing the right thing and keeping the appropriate people informed. That being said, they could have at least commented on the search yesterday and the red shirt that was found. Even if it was, "yes, we found a red shirt, but don't have anything to prove it belonged to Molly at this time".

But if they do know it is Molly's and don't want us to know, they would totally have to deny knowing about the shirt. MOO

 

[Stormy21]

In a study of kidnapping crimes/abductions, only 14% were committed by strangers.

Exactly.

Focus is on local 'characters'. Someone was interviewed for hours. That was more than just coffee and a roll.

The area there is very rural and very tough to investigate. A lifelong resident would know of isolated places to conceal 'evidence'.

There is either something concealed or remotely she is captive somewhere (very remotely; there are isolated corn cribs).

 

[distracted]

I find it interesting that they brought in the lady that works on missing persons cases in for statistics. Her message was that abductions are highly unlikely and not the norm for Iowa. In my opinion, someone close to Mollie did something. They were basically saying "We're onto you..."

Also, they confirmed that she was last seen in her running gear which would disprove some of our theory about something happening in her work clothes (i.e. red shirt) on the walk to her mothers that morning or being in her pjs.

I think they may have a suspect or suspects and are onto them but may not have enough evidence yet. If an abduction is highly unlikely for Iowa in regards to statistics....then that leads me to believe they have something else in mind.

There's also been a lot of criticism of the attention Mollie's case has received when there are others missing in Iowa - and elsewhere, for that matter - so I believe her presence at the presser was to provide some clarity about the open cases currently in the State of Iowa.

 

[Veracity]

Happy Hello All - I apologize but I have not read all of the posts.

After the Press Conference yesterday about the reward I wanted to believe the addition sum would help LE get the tip(s) they need to actually locate Mollie. That is the single focus of her family. The police have a broader focus
so at their first PC Director Winker narrowly asked for particular people to contact LE -

IF YOU KNOW THE WHEREABOUTS of MOLLIE

IF YOU KNOW THE REASON SHE IS MISSING

That second one is not a simple one .

I rarely rarely talk about my personal history - some of the first posters to this site (and before it morphed into this site) may recall some of my history. I am wondering if one aspect might help here -

I was the victim of stalking and I almost died over 40 years ago. I was the very same age as Mollie, also a college student. One of my first posts here during this case was my questioning whether a stalker might be involved. The initial replies made me question if I was transferring some of my own history/life experiences and was not able to be objective. I have found it interesting the media has reported two different men both with stalking in their past have been the focus of LE in Mollie's case. So maybe I have more of a hypersensitivity than a lack of objectivity.

At the time I lived this sad and challenging chapter the term stalking was not common. I want to share a bit how my stalker operated. Because I think it may help someone understand why their TIP is important when they may either not realize it at all right now or may have convinced themselves that someone closer to Mollie surely has let LE know or ...

I had a tiny circle of close friends. Went to a HS with the largest graduating class, 1486 people - very close to the population of Brooklyn IA. However, I was a class officer and worked on and attended all of our school events. I served on various citywide boards with folks from other schools and I worked after school (had since I was 14). My stalker used others to learn about me.

For me it started with getting flowers delivered repeatedly. Then came phone calls - back when there were lines attached to phones and pay phones were the phones of choice for folks who wanted to try and hide their movements. Today we have burner or throw away cells. And criminals are more and more routinely borrowing a stranger's cell phone.

For me the phone calls came to my home and work - even after I changed jobs the calls continued. HOW? I hadn't told him! And the new job was two cities away! And he would show up at the movies when I was there. Or at a concert. Or an ice cream shop just as I was leaving he would come through the door. Or he would show up riding a bike on the boardwalk at the same time I was there. Or ride by the spot where I (and a group had since junior high) used to lay out at the beach. I honestly at the time thought it was just because we were growing up in the same town! And our town was much much larger than Brooklyn IA.

It was only after all the dust settled I and my family and friends understood how the stalker had created his own circle of contacts - siblings of friends of mine, friends of friends of mine, co-workers from my old job, and long time owners of businesses around town who would have known me. It was through them he was able to learn about me.

For me and my family- the phone calls morphed from pleas to harrassing hangups which might go on for an hour, any time day or night. My dad refused to changed my phone number and in hindsight it most likely would not have stopped him. He was very cunning. But back then the telephone companies could trap a line and trace where incoming calls originated. I honestly wonder if that has become harder now for LE.

Here's the thing - the folks whom he was asking had no reason to suspect there was anything wrong with his questions. The questions were asked in a way to seem normal.
PLUS and this is huge - I had never shared things about this young man with anyone. Even when things got really bad no one would have known to be guarded. And honestly none of us saw what happened coming.

I didn't share stuff with family and most friends because it was embarrassing. And I didn't understand what was actually happening. I trusted folks and I thought at that time all people were basically good people. I may not have wanted to date this young man but I considered him a friend. I just was so naive.

When bad things began to happen I kept them to myself too - because back then girls could wind up in court being blamed for their own rape because of what they wore. And I had never heard of a boyfriend being charged with hurting his girlfriend. And when the boy comes from a wealthy family in town! I just wanted to get to college and start my new life.

*** Keep in mind what I lived may have involved a boyfriend but for MOLLIE - she had a HS sweetheart and DALTON is NOT in anyway to be confused as involved.

For me, I recall how folks who have since learned what happened have thought back and approached me and said "If I had only known".

Well- when it comes to Mollie - this is a town the size of my HS graduating class. And many of these folks may not share the community but may in fact be related to one another. That is so common in small towns everywhere.

Can you see how someone asking a question or just being nearby when you learned Dalton was going to a construction job out of town may be important to LE?

During the first Press Conference Director Winker said specifically "folks who were in Brooklyn on the 18th"

Well if you know of someone who went to Brooklyn that day

or
Someone who COULD HAVE gone to BROOKLYN -

For me my stalker told his parents he was in a different city much of the time he was where I was - be it at my University or in our home town. His parents were clueless what he was up to or they just turned a blind eye. To this day I am not sure. He supposedly used credit cards supplied by his parents so I have wondered how they didn't know some. But in the end it wasn't their fault. And I don't believe they could have stopped what happened.

When someone is fixated on a person it is very dangerous. And the victim is totally helpless and at times cluess as to what is happening. The reason he snapped and tried to kill me, according to the Commonwealth Attorneys who prosecuted the case, was I was becoming more independent. I had moved on. But honestly that was what they told me. I have never learned what precisely was in his head.

Who said what when which may have set him off or brought him to that point.

When I think of Mollie -she was running along the streets of Brooklyn daily - according to at least one newscast. And she was involved in various things around town - may have appeared in the paper?

If Mollie was being stalked it could be difficult for folks who don't understand how stalkers behave to understand it. Some of the responses initially here were about where the windows were in the house. Stalkers don't work like many TV or Movie shows. I know how at least one stalker worked. And I have followed missing person cases ever since because it could have been me and there was a young woman who vanished from my home town in the 1970s and she is still missing.

Today's PC we learned there are at least two folks who work for the County Sheriff's office who live in Brooklyn.
I am mulling over and over - is that a plus? Or could that be a minus? Not because of who they are or their abilities but because someone(s) may just have assumed "Well, so and so's brother in law is a Deputy so I am sure that information is already known.

Missing person cases are like big zigzaw puzzles. Different folks have different pieces. Until enough pieces are known and put together - LE can't find the missing person.

I hope the good folks of this County and neighboring counties because let's face it, families don't all stay put.
Folks leave small town to take jobs, go to school. They may stay in touch or they may venture home from time to time for a funeral, a birthday or a holiday - Mollie disappeared not that long after the 4th of July- I wonder if someone might have been visiting that area around that time and may just have seen or heard something.

The really irritating thing for me is the way the LE are handling this case. I truly believe the best cases are the ones where LE act like fishermen and just toss out enough bait (information like her jogging routes, if she ran during a particular time of day) to hook that lead they need. I could be absolutely wrong here and the way they are working the case is the only way it could be worked

But from my chair the family have suffered enough.

 

[PaulR]

I find it strange that the brothers werent there. Where were they?

Dad was barely holding it together. Maybe her brothers can't even do that.

 

[ExpectingUnicorns]

Kevin Winker

"I don’t have any info on a red shirt being found. We are looking at all possibilities for suspects."​

 

[Kapua]

I'm not convinced that 1) she was taken in the morning, or 2) that yesterday's search was conducted because a red shirt was found. We've had no official confirmation of either of those two things.

 

[EA18G]

This sounds like the Holly Bobo case all over again.

 

[Stormy21]

There's also been a lot of criticism of the attention Mollie's case has received when there are others missing in Iowa - and elsewhere, for that matter - so I believe her presence at the presser was to provide some clarity about the open cases currently in the State of Iowa.

It shows some thoughtfulness on LE's part. Many people and families have questions about spontaneous missing persons -- most of whom run away.

BTW, she didn't 'run away'.

 

[Doghairrules]

Is that the boyfriend standing right behind podium?

When I saw him at the very beginning he was standing to the right, next to the clearinghouse woman.

 

[margarita25]

So yesterday I had mentioned possible items strewn, clothing, etc. I’m not surprised to hear about the potential shirt. Red herring or not we dont know, keep in mind it might not even be related. I’ve seen in other cases collwcted items that turned out to be a coincidence. New members, you will see here on WS some crazy coincidences...

What is happening now, and certain decisions that LE is making, we might never know the true reasoning behind until court.

When Jessica disappeared, her backpack was found later on a residential neighborhood sidewalk.

After that, LE desperately appealed to the public and very clearly let us know there was a predator out there and and gave the standard profile, may have missed work, mAy show an unusual interest in the case, may have changed appearance, may have increased drinking or drugging etc bla
Also clearly emphasized this could be someone we know.

Point is: cont tech errors wrapping it up unfortunately can’t post.

Post is we never knew what was I. That backpack. Until court.

Her glasses and her urine soaked clothes.

So by that they were able to induce certain things. There’s a much more I want to say about this but having trouble posting trouble postinf

—-

ETA I had a post but think I lost it, sorry if repeat, I saw JEssica’s killer on the street but walked by him and said “nah too young.....”

 

[Paligal]

I think the shirt was Mollie's. MOO but it might not have been the red shirt ( which was rumored to be at work all along anyway) but it could have been the shirt she was wearing in that last snapchat sent to Dalton. Assuming that's the case why would it be in a ditch on the side of the road? 3 reasons I can think of...1. thrown out of a vehicle on the way out of town ( I actually don't think this is likely... why do this?) 2. to taunt family and police ( risky because it confirms perp is local and not long gone) 3. all the media attention this item has gotten would make it very bad to find in your home if you thought it was going to be searched. Moo

As to point 1., It could have been thrown from a car by Mollie herself, in a desperate attempt to leave a trail. However, I don't think this is the case, since it was found right next to the same pig farm where they searched. That would be too much of a coincidence. I think if the shirt is not hers, then it was placed there as a prank or someone trying to mess with investigators, and if it is hers, it is either indicative of her having been in the area, OR it was brought there by her abductor and left there to throw investigators off the scent, since this was on the news as a location of interest.

 

[KaaBoom]

I don't understand so many posters here who feel like they are entitled to information about this case??? Some talk about this investigation like it's a daytime soap opera and that it is somehow for their entertainment.

They are public officials. They are our employees. We are paying them. We are entitled to know what they are doing. Saying otherwise is like say, why does my damn boss think that he is entitled to know what I'm doing on his time?