Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 #22

[MrsWatson]

If I ever need a lawyer to get me out of a hate crime, I'm contacting Peggy:

"But did the person who called you *expletive deleted* in the library spell it the same was as it was keyed into your car!?! SPELLING MATTERS!"

Oh My Giddy Aunt.

 

[MsBetsy]

Not to mention MT's family and friends. There was a tweet last night sent by a woman asking MT's friend what time MT liked a post. When the young woman deleted the post, the woman became accusatory. MT's friends and family shouldn't have to deal with this type of behavior. I almost think the reward has some people going crazy, believing they can solve the crime from their computers and cash in. Sheesh.

I agree, all it does is potentially stall the investigation and cause harm to her family

 

[Deleted member 227095]

OT - if anyone wants some light and fun reading when this thread gets to be too much, you should check out the twitter account - @ bestofnextdoor. There is a classic thread of a neighborhood in Seattle that complained about the Seattle Seahawks games and someone shooting off fireworks whenever they scored a goal. One of them had the grand idea of meeting up at the local library to discuss the issue. I don’t want to spoil what happens next but it’s pretty funny.

Come on spill the tea...we need something light to laugh about!

 

[Emilyf886]

I think either is possible because we just can't see into this enough with the limited information we have.

But the 'Let's go for a ride' doesn't work for me because I don't see her completing her day and planning for work the next day, and fitting a 'ride' into all that at the end. And if it happened on her jog, I don't think it makes sense because why would she change her focus and stop that activity to hop in a car with someone. Certainly if it happened on her way to her mother's house, it makes no sense. If it was a meeting somewhere, I would think someone might have seen them, or if the meeting was a lure, what was an acquaintance driver going to do to contain her when it became clear to her they weren't going to burger hut or whatever. I suppose the person could have had a weapon, but that eliminates the 'something went south' scenario and enters the planned abduction realm. Where is this person and why has no one noticed strange behavior or other signs of change or stress? And why has LE focused on WC since Mollie did not know him?

I also don't think she'd take off for a meeting/get together, sweaty and in her running clothing, still wearing a FitBit. So I think she was likely grabbed in an opportunistic moment and it could have been someone relatively familiar, be it someone who either had been watching her, or recognized her when seeing her that evening and she was the chosen victim. Or, a stranger got her.

The latter makes sense to me because of so many cases where female joggers left for a routine run and were soon dead. The Karina Vetrano and Vanessa Marcotte murders are chilling examples, and even in the Jessica Ridgeway murder, the perpetrator tried to victimize an adult female jogger first. They were all literally ambushed. One was able to get away because the perpetrator was too surprised and unprepared to fight with his victim and he could't subdue her. Since we don't know where Mollie was, if she was on an outskirt as someone suggested, it was a grab and go, with perhaps knocking her down first, as in the Shunick case. I've read at least three cases where women were grabbed while talking on their phones. And Kelsey Smith was taken in a Target parking lot when she walked out and was followed to her vehicle.

There are people who simply prey on others and they do bold things that we can't imagine. Their victims are strangers to them who were just going about their business. But like I said, either is plausible since there are movements by Mollie we simply can't see.

I was grabbed while walking with one head phone in. It’s possible people.

 

[Deleted member 227095]

They don’t need people wildly speculating as to her mindset, and reaching conclusions based on what she is wearing in photos. It’s just not helpful.

Bravo/Brava!

 

[rosesfromangels]

I’ve mentioned this before but “getting to know Mollie,” means learning her habits, her personality, and delving into her relationships. Victimology is an essential component of conducting an investigation like this. If you understand your victim, you can begin to put the pieces together in regard to what may have happened.
I don’t think law enforcement wants people delving into her social media in order to help them in some way. They can do that on their own. They don’t need people wildly speculating as to her mindset, and reaching conclusions based on what she is wearing in photos. It’s just not helpful.

Thank you a thousand times over.

 

[Suglo]

Come on spill the tea...we need something light to laugh about!

Here’s an article that has a synopsis of what happened plus the second post has the screenshots of the NextDoor thread that were on that twitter feed for those of you who don’t do twitter.

https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlene...or-library-fight-seahawks-cannon-12416348.php

Thread by @bestofnextdoor: "bestofnextdoor proudly presents: "Seahawks Cannon" aka the legendary Nextdoor thread that caused one Seattle neighborhood to brawl at their […]" #bestofnextdoor #nextdoorbrawl #thisiswhatyoucamefor #youhadtogetnasty

 

[DexterMorgan]

The reward money is probably filled with Catch 22s that would be of no use to folks that may only know a portion or have a hunch on minor details.

So they should probably state how much a person would get if they only have a minor piece of the puzzle. This could help some people come clean quicker about the little information they do know about a suspect. Jmo

 

[margarita25]

You wouldn’t need a car to be lurking or hiding between the cornstalks, hanging out possibly doing drugs or up to no good and happen to a see a young pretty female run buy who was focused on running and listening to her iTunes. Perp comes up behind her covers her mouth and drags her into the cornfield and assaults her. Shes a small girl it wouldn’t be hard for a man. He could have a weapon gun or knife to her back. Destroys and/or powers off Fitbit and iPhone. Possibly bury them. Then perp runs off. She’s probably in those cornfields and won’t be found until Harvest in October.

How far from where the carnival was being held is Mollies’s bf’s house? Tia.

 

[MsBetsy]

Yes it will be one or the other.

I assumed that but it was previously posted that Monday's PR was postponed. I am trying to get someone to validate that. Is it still on for Monday, is my question.

 

[avalonisland]

Yes it will be one or the other.

According to media reports, there were at least 10 employees like Mollie who wore a red shirt- GRMC Day Camp. If the red shirt found is a GRMC Day camp uniform, perhaps it was not Mollie's? IMO, there needs to be an inventory of every single shirt that GRMC handed out along with what was still in supply chain.

 

[RavenCC2020]

Loved your rant about 20 yr olds. What you described is so true about so many people in that age group and I'm glad you posted what you did to bring us back to the question that LE asked in the first PC which was 'who is MT'. MT is many things and what I have seen from looking at SM of some young adults is sometimes what you see on SM is not exactly the same as who they are and how exactly they spend their time. SM for many is almost as if they are crafting an image for themselves. So, the profile is part them and part what they would like to be seen as. Sometimes I think its easy to look at SM profiles and say we definately 'know' the person. I'm not certain this is always the case. By all accounts MT was surprisingly open in sharing different parts of herself and her life in her social media. But, I think there are certainly parts of herself that aren't on SM. I hope by now LE has figured all this out. I wouldn't be surprised if most 20+ somethings hadn't tried either fake profile on Tinder or one of its equivalents. Might MT have done so? I would be surprised if she hadn't. OT but somewhat touching on Tinder as discussed in original post, there was the case that got alot of publicity of person captured after killing women he met on Tinder. This killer moved around freely and seemed to kill at whim and this is what I found particularly chilling and disturbing.

This is what absolutely terrifies me and I have been recently talking with a close friend of my daughters that grew up here in our little town. She used Tinder constantly and has been on many dates. Her mom is not aware of how she is meeting these guys and she refuses to tell her. I made her promise me that WHEN she meets someone she in the very least texts me where she is going and who the person is. Problem there is these guys do not always give their real names and if God forbid anything happened, the only point of reference would be a meeting place. She is currently dating someone who is from out of state who worked a temporary job for the summer. He just left to go back home to school and honestly even though I met the guy I am not sure she is ever going to see this guy again. He gave her a "promise ring" until he returns. This girl is one of the sweetest kids I have known but incredibly naive when it comes to relationships. Very religious family all married very young. She thinks she will meet someone and be married within months. I try to explain to her it usually doesn't work that way nor should it. You need to get to know someone first. I do worry for young girls today. So much more for them to be aware of then I ever had to in my time. Scary times.

 

[MntnHiker]

I think it could be a total stranger or someone who is basically a stranger to Mollie (someone like a delivery person, mail person, etc.--not accusing these actual people, just giving examples--someone who has seen her and knows of her but not vice versa).

Yes, it is coincidental that she was alone in the house that week, but coincidences do happen. I have seen many real life cases where someone like this did just grab somebody and there was not much, if any, trace left behind them. Some were already mentioned upthread. To be fair, I haven't ruled out someone she knows either, but the longer this goes, the more I lean away from that. Honestly, I hope it's not a stranger because I feel like that has a lower chance of her still being alive. I have posted in earlier threads that I also do believe it's possible for something to happen in 5 seconds or less without anyone seeing. It would take someone looking out their window at the exact right moment to see anything.

I will be interested to see the Go Pro tonight of the potential route she jogged to see if there are some more desolate stretches where it's even more possible something happened without anyone noticing.

 

[Deleted member 228069]

Yes it will be one or the other.

Carbuff, you remind me of a guy I knew who'd nod his head while saying no and shake his head side to side and say yes.

 

[MassGuy]

According to media reports, there were at least 10 employees like Mollie who wore a red shirt- GRMC Day Camp. If the red shirt found is a GRMC Day camp uniform, perhaps it was not Mollie's? IMO, there needs to be an inventory of every single shirt that GRMC handed out along with what was still in supply chain.

They would certainly test the shirt for DNA, in order to determine if it belongs to Mollie or not.

 

[gforce]

I agree, all it does is potentially stall the investigation and cause harm to her family

I don’t think LE cares whether we are checking SM as long as you aren’t doing anything illegally. I think you have your head in the sand if you don’t think it’s a possibility that a normal 20 year old girl away from home for a year, whether she has a bf or not, would go on a date or two And married men have been known to ask 20 year old college girls for dates.

 

[cshea99]

I'm confused about that. I thought it was possible for LE to retrieve text messages, even deleted ones? Are you saying that's only possible if the user downloaded a certain app? Can't they still somehow find it? I am not a technical person but I always heard nothing is truly deleted and it has to be stored ( somewhere), therefore there is a process in which they can locate it?

IF she had an iPhone and a Mac she was probably getting her iMessages on her computer.

Also, IF she had and iPhone that backed up...all you would need is her iCloud password and you would have everything including deleted texts. However, most young adults have maxed out their storage and their phones don’t backup.

 

[cluciano63]

Jmo no one has a clue what happened except for the perp. This is not a bragging rights kinda crime...he has not told anyone, imo, assuming there is a perp and it is a he. LE has never said so.

So the reward is meaningless...and the amount is a non-factor in that it won’t be claimed. Also, the crazies come out, regardless of rewards or amount.

All jmo.

 

[MsBetsy]

From a simple mind, comes simple thoughts!

If LE's mission is to find and reunite MT with her family.....

and

If LE knows who MT is with and where they're located - then why not go get MT and bring her home?

or

If LE knows where MT is located - then why not go get MT and bring her home?

or

If LE knows who's MT with, but not where they're located - then why not ask for help from the public?

or

If LE does NOT know who MT is with or where she's located - then why not ask for help from the public?

or??????

We do not know that LE knows any of these things, my feeling is that they don't, but are working furiously on any leads they may have.

 

[Jabarn]

I think the clues of the witnesses and map makers on her running routine are very helpful. She was running the same path based on a routine. It makes sense, if we look for the simplest answer, someone on her route was watching.

I want to say, on a side note, how appreciative I am for the insights on this case here. No one is being mean, or ridiculing anyone’s ideas. A lot of good work and thoughts.