Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 #15

[bizzle2]

From personal experience - no. My father did just that many years ago. I’ll never forget the FBI giving me a two hour interview (and yes, they interview family that they do not consider suspect too). And while we were searching Iowa he gave up and called home from California. Point being, it’s totally easy to just leave without a trace. It’s not so easy to stay disappeared for long - and personally I think Mollie and a person unknown are having that very discussion hundreds of miles away right now.

First off, it's different in 2018. The technology (especially social media/location analysis) and video equipment available for a search today is vastly better than it was even 5-10 years ago. It is extremely difficult to vanish without a trace, because it takes money, experience, and knowledge that most (especially 20 year olds) don't have. It would take a very special person to pull it off, and would take months of planning. Most runaways are found within a few days. Mostly because it is so difficult to get away without leaving any sort of digital footprint, and because it is so difficult to break off all contact with everyone you know.

And second, I've said this before, if she had just run away voluntarily she would know by now that there was a major investigation into her disappearance. If she wanted to stay gone, then all she would have to do is get in contact with the FBI/DCI and tell them that she didn't want to be found by anyone. They'd verify that she was alive and well, and that would be the end of the investigation. And yet here we are with 30-40 FBI/DCI personnel on her case.

A voluntary disappearance just doesn't make sense.

 

[SharonNeedles]

Too bad they don't bring in professional searchers i.e. Texas EquuSearch, proper canines.

Right when the hog farm searched started I took pics of the search vehicles showing up at the scene (mods removed my pics and asked me not to post that kind of stuff). They definitely had a dog setup unlike anything I’ve seen. I believe the five canines that travel in that wonderdog mobile are as proper as they come.

 

[who knew?]

Too bad they don't bring in professional searchers i.e. Texas EquuSearch, proper canines.

or CUE

 

[JudgeJoe]

I'm wondering why they don't take some of the reward money and pay the farmers to let them cut down the corn?

It would take alot more than 270K to reimburse the entire area for crop loss.

 

[Veracity]

First off, it's different in 2018. The technology (especially social media/location analysis) and video equipment available for a search today is vastly better than it was even 5-10 years ago. It is extremely difficult to vanish without a trace, because it takes money, experience, and knowledge that most (especially 20 year olds) don't have. It would take a very special person to pull it off, and would take months of planning. Most runaways are found within a few days. Mostly because it is so difficult to get away without leaving any sort of digital footprint, and because it is so difficult to break off all contact with everyone you know.

And second, I've said this before, if she had just run away voluntarily she would know by now that there was a major investigation into her disappearance. If she wanted to stay gone, then all she would have to do is get in contact with the FBI/DCI and tell them that she didn't want to be found by anyone. They'd verify that she was alive and well, and that would be the end of the investigation. And yet here we are with 30-40 FBI/DCI personnel on her case.

A voluntary disappearance just doesn't make sense.

I want to believe Sharon is right... but my head tells me you are on point.

 

[TPeeFitz]

From personal experience - no. My father did just that many years ago. I’ll never forget the FBI giving me a two hour interview (and yes, they interview family that they do not consider suspect too). And while we were searching Iowa he gave up and called home from California. Point being, it’s totally easy to just leave without a trace. It’s not so easy to stay disappeared for long - and personally I think Mollie and a person unknown are having that very discussion hundreds of miles away right now.

Interesting, so you think Mollie left of her own accord?

 

[Emerald1328]

I hate to say this, but I have a feeling she’s in the corn and will be found come harvest time. Not necessarily corn fields in Brooklyn or immediate area, but close. I know they’ve searched through the corn fields, but I would guess they didn’t go more than 20-30 rows in at the fields they did search. I would be surprised if more than 5% of the fields in the area have been searched.

I’ve even been finding myself scanning ditches and the edges of corn fields here in the Des Moines area looking for her, or a dang red shirt. I don’t expect anything to come of that, but I honestly feel like I’m doing a small part to help. I’m sure that sounds a little loony haha.

I hope I’m wrong - I hope she’s alive somewhere.

 

[margarita25]

That was me. I got the information from a comment made on the the fake fb account and then used arin to look up the IP address which was in Nebraska. My post got deleted so I don't want to repeat it because I assume it was in violation of TOS.

(Wait a minute, you can look up IP addresses on fb postings? Whaaaaat? This is very important bc not only do I sleuth here on WS, under a fake profile of course, but I was looking at my (now ex) bf’s girlfriend’s page!!)

(ETA: she was hot )

 

[SharonNeedles]

I want to believe Sharon is right... but my head tells me you are on point.

You don’t think you could get up right now, walk out to a waiting vehicle and just leave?

 

[Marklhc1988]

( have been approached by men in vehicles probably 5 times in the last 3 years while out walking. Two of these incidents were men in fancy cars with suits. “Do you need a ride?”

Twice was when it was raining, one time there was actually a huge lightning storm and I was tempted only for a quick microsecond when I decided I’ll take my chance on being struck by lightning. Sometimes there might not always be an ill intention, but as are the the days of not locking your doors gone, so are accepting rides from strangers. Just not worth the risk obviously.

(Yes this old hippy has hitchhiked before back in the day...come to think of it, that’s how I met one of my violent abusive exes!!)

ETA: Another time I was approached by 2 grooooossss men in a vehicle who looked like they were living out of their cars. They came right up on me head on and blinded me with their brights. I saw them coming and had mace in one hand and my phone in the the other. Had to make a quick decision which course to take, didn’t think I could mace both of them so instead called 911 with a vehicle description and my location, cops arrived almost immediately and chased them, so t know if they ever caught them.

My friends always say “I have mace”...I tell them a phone or mace is no good if you have to dig for it in your purse. You have to have it in your hand ready to go, or at least very quickly accessible like in your pocket. I had my finger on the 9 button as soon as I saw them approaching...they had previously driven by slowly so I had a feeling they were going to circle back around, which they did.

I think you need to evaluate where you are walking.

 

[NewYork625]

(Wait a minute, you can look up IP addresses on fb postings? Whaaaaat? This is very important bc not only do I sleuth here on WS, but I’ve been looking at my bfs girlfriend’s page!!)

No. It was a screenshot someone had made of something that had an IP address. I don't want to get in trouble, but it was from the screenshot that I got the IP address originally. I'm looking on that fb page now, but I think that post was deleted too.

 

[zencompass]

Snipped by me (zencompass) to show how much thought and compassion Emerald1328 shows:

"I’ve even been finding myself scanning ditches and the edges of corn fields here in the Des Moines area looking for her, or a dang red shirt. I don’t expect anything to come of that, but I honestly feel like I’m doing a small part to help. I’m sure that sounds a little loony haha."

"I hope I’m wrong - I hope she’s alive somewhere."

Dear Emerald1328,

Your post shows how compassionate and kind you are.

Thank you for this.

There are so many wonderful people on these threads who genuinely care about Mollie's whereabouts. You are certainly one of them.

 

[Fascinated1]

trying to keep up despite work deadlines—but impressive what this group has pieced together from the pieces of info out there. I’m sure there are profilers out there in WS rank and I know several theories have been put forward. It seems like if she was abducted on her run the top profile might be “sex offender who knew her through family connections of some kind”—someone familiar enough to her not to cause immediate concern. She might not even have known about his past. I think that over random Abduction/Sk. Someone who could not control their urges.

If she disappeared from the house (eg evidence she came back from her jog and stayed put) then my bet is that it’s more likely a friend or someone well known to her. Maybe an accident or crime of passion or assault? Am on any kind of a right track with this thinking? Obviously could give 2 very different pools of suspects.

 

[margarita25]

No. It was a screenshot someone had made of something that had an IP address. I don't want to get in trouble, but it was from the screenshot that I got the IP address originally. I'm looking on that fb page now, but I think that post was deleted too.

(Thank goooodness, you had me in a panic there for a minute!! LOL)

(ETA-I’d be quite embarrassed if she knew how many hours I’ve spent staring at her photos )

 

[Wndrlst]

When will the harvest take place? What all is involved with that? TIA

Harvest generally starts around October, could go in to November depending on the crop.

Basic definition of corn harvest: After it matures, corn is harvested in the fall with a grain combine. Combines have row dividers that pick up the corn stalks as the combine moves through the field. The corn ears are broken off from the corn stalk and dragged into the combine, and the stalks are dropped back on the ground.

If you're not familiar with farm equipment, I've attached a photo of a combine (basically shows the process at work) Highly unlikely a farmer would see a body in one of the rows from atop a combine before it's too late.

 

[gforce]

I have a daughter who is a senior in high school. I check out her social media pages from time to time just to stay on top of things and to be aware of any issues, and I look at her photos and photos of her with her friends and they all have the same smiles and poses like Mollie. All full of life. It's scary to think it could happen to anyone.

 

[Veracity]

Hi Veracity - Yes, I drove that gravel road north to 6; then came back south as well on the same road to get that perspective as well.

DJ's house is quite visible and a strange car in the driveway would be very noticeable - IMHO.

There's one house about twenty yards away to the NW and another one to the West - across the gravel road - maybe 100 yards away?

Yes - went over the creek - small to medium size.

Hope that helps!?

Thank you so much - when I tried to google walk it it looked like there was a rise in the middle - like a hill. So no, can see straight from Hwy 6 down past that rise.

That Creek is BIG Bear Creek. It is the same one that runs close to the HS and up there you can see tracks in the riparian buffer - not sure if ATV or Truck or what. Did it look like someone could run along that creek?

Also, I wasn't sure if someone could fall into the creek - say be hit while running by a drunk or doped in 170 and be thrown over into the creek?

SO HAPPY you are here!!!

 

[Normancita]

Just curious why many members keep mentioning the red shirt.

Didn’t Mollie’s own mother tell the Daily Mail that Mollie only owned two of those red shirts, both of which were NOT missing?

Mother of missing Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts says she does not believe she returned home | Daily Mail Online

 

[TPeeFitz]

I would think it most likely that somebody who lives in (location unknown) drove up to Iowa and brought her back home with him/her. If she’s staying with somebody she wouldn’t necessarily run out of resources right away.

I just don’t see this being likely. How would they have communicated in a way that would not be easily traceable by LE?

 

[SharonNeedles]

Interesting, so you think Mollie left of her own accord?

I believe that’s the most likely scenario the known information supports.