Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 #12

[rosesfromangels]

I don't know that she was totally 'low risk.' She was jogging alone, sometimes at night. She was alone in a large, isolated home, possibly with unlocked doors. So I would see that as medium/high risk perhaps?

In many locations, yes. However, she was living in the middle of a farming community. Very low crime.

 

[MassGuy]

I don't know that she was totally 'low risk.' She was jogging alone, sometimes at night. She was alone in a large, isolated home, possibly with unlocked doors. So I would see that as medium/high risk perhaps?

No. Her lifestyle was low risk. We don’t know of drug use, prostitution, affiliation with gangs, running away, hitchhiking, or any other behavior that would put her in a high risk category. Living a high risk lifestyle is different from doing something that contains risk. Jogging alone at night is risky behavior. Not locking your doors (although most people apparently don’t in this town) also increases risk. But this was a safe town, and her behavior wasn’t unusual for it. So my answer to your question is an unequivocal no.

 

[Confusion]

I'm one of those people who has believed all along that she disappeared Wednesday night, but I wanted to point out that both views of the shirt could be correct. Someone just said (I'm too lazy to look back to see who, sorry) that it had been stated that the employees got the red shirt the day before the trip (Wednesday), and MT's mother said that both of her red shirts were at the house. Isn't it possible that she had 2 red shirts at home, got the new one at work that day and brought it with her to DJ's house so she'd have one no matter which place she was at when she needed one?

 

[margarita25]

Sounds like she would do this on the way to work in the morning. Another timeframe to consider.

Mollie sometimes changed for work at her mom’s house before taking the Pontiac but also kept clothes and possessions at Dalton Jack’s house.

So, sorry I’m slow here trying to keep up and really absorb all this, is there a possibility then that she stopped at her mom’s house? I know I’m behind been swamped , I’m so sorry...(blushing, hiding)...

 

[Seattle1]

Thinking shirt is not hers.
If not...even fewer clues for LE than I imagined. Hoped the shirt would lead to Mollie.
My latest thoughts are she stayed in jogging clothes, did computer work, sent pic, put dogs downstairs and headed for family home to spend the night and go to work from there. I wish her mom jad clarified if she has extra contacts though.

I believe Mollie was wearing her contacts when she disappeared, and her glasses were found at Dalton's. The initial reports of Mollie missing and what she did not take with her came during a fast and furious moment. I believe it was Dalton's Mother that stated that Mollie couldn't see without her glasses, and left them behind. MOO.

 

[David T]

I am the father of a Mollie, whose lifestyle is remarkably similar.

I doubt Mollie went missing on her jog. The importance of the jog MIGHT BE that she caught someone's attention.

Then again, SOMEONE may have known that she was alone in that house.

All evidence revealed to date suggests she made it home comfortably and went about her normal business. IF it is true that the dogs would have slept with her, then it seems the time period moves to early morning, when her brother texted her. I have always felt that if Mollie did not go home for supper, then it was more likely she might return to her mother's home before going to work, especially given the story about ingredients the mother bought for Mollie to make a dessert for a co-worker's birthday.

It would be perfectly normal for Mollie to go to bed in her jogging clothes, and then let the dogs out upon waking. It would also make sense that anybody watching the house would expect this behavior.

Something happened after she put the dogs up before starting her day.

The start was interrupted, which explains why she had only her fitbit and jogging clothes. Anybody perpetrating this crime would have take her phone if for no other reason than to destroy it.

LE has known for weeks how far the digital signatures went, thus the searches. A young girl is taken from a home and her electronics venture a short distance from that home.

There is always the possibility of a clever psychopath stalking random victims. Then again, it would be wrong to rule out potential psychopaths who knew just enough about Mollie to know she was alone.

If the trail does not lead back to a local, there is a good chance it leads back to the University of Iowa, where Mollie came in contact with thousands of people and their social media connections who might take a morbid interest in a small town girl.

If it involved the latter, then the crime may have been committed and the perpetrator gone before Mollie was reported missing.

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[margarita25]

I think this was sexually motivated, but I think he did take her away from there in a vehicle. I think he would have risked being spotted had he not done that (remained in the area). I also think we’d have found a body by now if the attack was limited to that area.

I too am leaning towards SA as the motive at the moment, which is the “why” asked in the PC.

Therefore, those that agree to this as a possibility, well then we need to be looking maybe for that type of suspect because that could be the why. Sorry trying to explain myself here. Let me put it this way, shades of Abby and Libby all over again about examining sexual predators...the BAU, FBI studies bla bla need to take a breath here.

 

[margarita25]

Delete double post sorry

 

[ForensicFiles]

From my understanding they always wore the red shirts and she worked there last summer as well. So who knows how many she actually had.

 

[margarita25]

Greeeat post, David T. Welcome to websleuths!!!

 

[ForensicFiles]

We need to be looking ? Lol

 

[MsBetsy]

This news is interesting. Mollie's mom first reported (wish I had a source) that the shirt was going to be handed out/available the day before the event/fair. Because of this, the mom looked for a shirt but didn't find one.
Am I dreaming? Does anyone else remember this version of the red shirt detail shortly after the case broke?

 

[Ezekiel2517]

I don't think LE have any POI at this point. If they did wouldn't they investigate them the same way they did the pig farmer?
I'm starting to think she was abducted by a stranger and driven south, along one of the roads near where they were searching Thursday night. That area may be where her phone last pinged before it was turned off or destroyed.
There are also alot of county fairs going on right now and alot of carnies traveling from one to another which is another possibility.

 

[MrsWatson]

Could Mollie have encountered someone while attending her dad's wedding who became obsessed with her? I don't remember seeing many details about the wedding, other than Mollie acting as her dad's best man. How did she travel to attend? Did DJ go with her? She and DJ seem to be a genuinely affectionate cute couple who seem deeply attached. Could this have sparked some sort of extreme jealously/envy/rage? We covet what we see.

I don't know what to think about the DM article. As an ex-pat American living in the UK, I find UK crime coverage on crimes in the UK very very sparse, generally until after trial. Lots of redtops here like to report on crimes in the States because more information is released and it feeds into the idea that America is so crime-ridden. That's a huge over generalization on my part, but hopefully you get the idea.

Could the article be a well-orchestrated ploy by LE to soothe the abductor into thinking he/she is totally under the radar? All the family pictures humanize Mollie, she is a person who is loved and has a family, not an object. The focus of the interview is her Mom. Said interview done by a British tabloid not known for veracity and making it seem like her Mom sort of stepped out of bounds to give the interview. Poor DJ is almost an afterthought.

Maybe I've just read Thomas Harris too many times.

 

[MsBetsy]

No, I just remember the mother stating the red shirt wasn't in the home. I think someone later said something about shirts being handed out, and neither have been verified. The details of this case seem to be getting more and more mixed up by the minute.

 

[Seattle1]

The mother said that red shirt could not be found anywhere. Now she says Mollie has two and they are at her house.

I believe that Dalton said she was doing homework late. Now mom says there is no indication she made it home.

Very different statements

Just as it was reported Mollie left her glasses behind and her red camp shirt missing, these statements were made during a fast and furious moment in announcing her missing. Certainly allowance for revisions should be expected, no? For example, although red shirt not located at Dalton's, it seems 2 were located at Laura/Mollie's home. Revised to stand corrected -- shirt not missing.

 

[PaulR]

If LE is getting Fitbit data, they almost certainly know if she was abducted and where that took place.

Fitbits work with your cell phone to transmit your location by using the cell phone's GPS signal. It updates on a frequency basis, if you have it set to be tracking your location (whether it be walking, hiking, running.) It does this no matter what, as I found out once when I went on a hike and turned my Fitbit GPS tracking on, completed the hike, and was driving home when I noticed I forgot to tell my Fitbit that I was no longer hiking. It recorded my footsteps accurately but added ten miles to how long I had "hiked", and if you look at the Fitbit dashboard, you can clearly see I was going very fast along a road. I've only made this mistake once with a few months of Fitbit usage.

If her Fitbit was forcing GPS data to be transmitted and she was abducted at home, I assume they'd put her in a car. Her speed would easily show that she was moving at the speed of a car, not the speed of a runner. Similarly if she was running and abducted then, she would suddenly be moving much faster. If her cell phone was ditched at this point, preventing the Fitbit from communicating with the servers to send GPS coordinates, then we'd know where that happened. If her Fitbit wasn't sending GPS data, I'm not sure we'd hear all this fuss about the Fitbit at all since the police could have used cell phone records to get a (less accurate) idea of where her phone last was.

This also makes sense if you look at her missing items including the iPhone jogging band and headphones. If she used the GPS feature, she'd be turning it on as she was leaving the house, or turning it off as she got home. During the run, it would be on. And of course she would have those items with her if she was going for a run.

 

[margarita25]

We need to be looking ? Lol

Everyone is looking, ykwim, the question in the PC is “why” so those who lean towards this perhaps as a likely motive can maybe pursue that angle more by researching recent SA’s, possibly similar circumstances of other similar victims missing, etc etc. Question is what can sleuthers do to help? Research. Especially since we’ve got little to go on right now.

Quote for reference / see word “maybe” immediately following:

I too am leaning towards SA as the motive at the moment, which is the “why” asked.

Therefore, those that agree to this as a possibility, well then we need to be looking maybe for that type of suspect because that could be the why. Sorry trying to explain myself here. Let me put it this way, shades of Abby and Libby all over again about examining sexual predators...the BAU, FBI studies bla bla need to take a breath here.

ETA: I have been trying to feel this out for days (random) and also ask veterans and members as to how likely they suspect such a predator and motive. I have now been able to narrow my focus somewhat at least for the time being until there is any other information. As I mentioned before, we do not know who her acquaintances were, neighbors, coworkers, friends at. and nor can we discuss them.

I’m currently trying to browse WS cases by state, haven’t figured it out yet.

 

[MassGuy]

I am the father of a Mollie, whose lifestyle is remarkably similar.

I doubt Mollie went missing on her jog. The importance of the jog MIGHT BE that she caught someone's attention.

Then again, SOMEONE may have known that she was alone in that house.

All evidence revealed to date suggests she made it home comfortably and went about her normal business. IF it is true that the dogs would have slept with her, then it seems the time period moves to early morning, when her brother texted her. I have always felt that if Mollie did not go home for supper, then it was more likely she might return to her mother's home before going to work, especially given the story about ingredients the mother bought for Mollie to make a dessert for a co-worker's birthday.

It would be perfectly normal for Mollie to go to bed in her jogging clothes, and then let the dogs out upon waking. It would also make sense that anybody watching the house would expect this behavior.

Something happened after she put the dogs up before starting her day.

The start was interrupted, which explains why she had only her fitbit and jogging clothes. Anybody perpetrating this crime would have take her phone if for no other reason than to destroy it.

LE has known for weeks how far the digital signatures went, thus the searches. A young girl is taken from a home and her electronics venture a short distance from that home.

There is always the possibility of a clever psychopath stalking random victims. Then again, it would be wrong to rule out potential psychopaths who knew just enough about Mollie to know she was alone.

If the trail does not lead back to a local, there is a good chance it leads back to the University of Iowa, where Mollie came in contact with thousands of people and their social media connections who might take a morbid interest in a small town girl.

If it involved the latter, then the crime may have been committed and the perpetrator gone before Mollie was reported missing.

I hope I'm wrong.

I think your logic is solid. The only part that gives me pause is the risk to the perpetrator of an early morning abduction. I guess it all comes down to how early it may have occurred.

 

[Purplepixii]

Today, as we celebrate my daughter's 20th birthday, I will be thinking about Mollie (which also happens to be the name of one of my cats) and hoping that Mollie Tibbetts, and other missing people, return home to their loved ones. I can't begin to imagine the excruciating pain their loved ones are feeling

 

[MassGuy]

I don't think LE have any POI at this point. If they did wouldn't they investigate them the same way they did the pig farmer?
I'm starting to think she was abducted by a stranger and driven south, along one of the roads near where they were searching Thursday night. That area may be where her phone last pinged before it was turned off or destroyed.
There are also alot of county fairs going on right now and alot of carnies traveling from one to another which is another possibility.

Who is to say that they haven’t interviewed people the same way as the pig farmer? He simply revealed that fact to the media, that’s how we know about it.