Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 #24

[Deleted member 227095]

from the govt website: "A large reward is being offered for information leading to the recovery of Mollie."
Recovery...Not return.

My bet is that this is a typo....the agreements have already been signed for the reward funding and if they changed the terms there would need to be revised documents signed by all.

 

[Momma2cam]

Against the odds, I was hopeful they were approaching an arrest, which could explain the lack of requests for info from the public. I'm still hopeful they have strong leads but less so, after reading about the PC.

Agree with those that compare it to the Delphi cases. And here we still are after 1.5 years with no more information.

Sad for Mollie's family.

 

[zecats]

Sounds like they have no timeline beyond 10pm.....which is the same as a month ago.

5pm is interesting though. She hadn’t even been dropped off by her brother at this point.

 

[Veracity]

I have a question about Cell Tower data - is there a way to gather EVERY single user whose device uses a particular tower? I know LE can gather information starting from a particular number/user and determine where that device correlates to particular tower activity - I want to know if they can start at a TOWER itself and collect data which in turn can be used by LE using filters to determine who was where during a particular time in so far as cell phone activity goes? Seems to me that would/ may well be already an incredibly valuable tool for LE to use.

Also makes sense to me for LE to be able to get that data, if possible, very early. So my second question is WHEN DID THIS INVESTIGATION begin. There seems to have been three different stages:
1 - Notification - done by complainant, telling LE of MISSING PERSON. We know this happened afternoon July 19th per Sheriff Dept. Mollie's mom reported her missing. We don't know if it was done by phone or in person.

2-Assessment - This is LOCAL LE in IA. Someone with the Poweshiek Sheriff's Dept. took the report. This could have been the responding deputy. Would he then be assigned the case? Or would the report pass to a different person in the Sheriff's deputy? WHO WAS THIS PERSON? Whoever it was this was the person who made an assessment and was responsible for the specifics including making the call to bring in others.

3- Task Force - Today was the first time I recall the term "TASK FORCE" being used in this case. Anyone else recall it being used before? And per DCI Rick K? the task force was formed at the "beginning of this investigation"

That to me could be the very same day Mollie was reported missing and the Sheriff's office responded OR it could be a WEEK later when the news media per DCI Information office that the FBI had joined the case.

I would like some clarity as to which it was.

Because if there is the ability to glean raw data directly from cell towers, could the week delay not be a delay so much but the time lag in being able to get that data?

I would like to know if we need to be contacting the FCC or our Congressional reps to ask them to devise a way for LE specifically when a person is missing to get what they need ASAP.
Instead of putting a great burden on LE to go single device by single device, for any carrier who uses a particular tower to make available to LE their logs for that tower in X hours for specific time frames. We live in a digital age. We all leave a digital footprint. Where LE once used trackers who could trace persons by real footsteps, now they have GOT to be able to have access to information that is stored in multiple locations - maybe even in databases outside the USA- to quickly track a missing person and anyone who may be a potential witness ASAP, don't they?

With the super computers the FBI has it wouldn't take that long to construct a list if they can get the raw data ASAP. I would not expect the POWESHIEK County Sheriff's dept to have the staff or expertise to do this sort of work. I would hope there would be training and a quick response team comprised of IA (or any State) State Police level and FBI. We have quick response teams for 12 and under. But those tiny people may not have the digital footprint, finding them seems to me is using real footsteps.

Is there something we need to do to make sure LE has what they need to find anyone of any age?

 

[Mica]

ETA, this might help
Google Maps

Is that a small body of water (pond, marsh, bog) on the map to the left of the intersection of Historic US 6?

 

[Deleted member 227095]

385th Ave is incorrect. The part they are talking about on the map is an extension of 622 Des Moines where she lives. It dead ends into Historic US 6

You mean the gravel road portion that goes to US 6?

 

[Whiteorchids]

Does anyone else notice how this site is serious laggy especially while typing?

 

[Jmoose]

In the future, someone's wife or girlfriend is going to reveal what she knows. That person could be terrified right now, to speak up.

I wish that could be true-but we are still waiting for this to happen in the disappearance of Amanda Jones

 

[geevee]

No, they're not grasping at the same straws. They are the trained investigators from more than 1 agency, who have M.T's actual data and have conducted interviews, and have been combing through her computer and other digital evidence, and following leads and tips and working the case along with other experts. They have information they are not sharing (all investigators have more info and data than the public).

Contrast that with members of the public who watch a few crimes dramas on that there TeeVee and think they are "working the case" by making up creative scenarios and passing around rumors.

Hi Madeleine, long time no see. That they are asking for these specific tips tells me they don't have any one (or maybe any) POI in their cross hairs.

The only encouraging thing I find is the map on the website (finally got in) may be part of the jogging route they received pings from her phone/Fitbit data on.

Does it match up with witness sightings of her, anyone?

 

[Stormy21]

1- Law enforcement is asking anyone in this area of 385th Avenue on the evening of July 18th to contact us via the tip page
2- Law enforcement is asking anyone in the area of the D & M Car Wash on the evening of July 18th to contact us via the tip page
3- Law enforcement is asking anyone in the area of the TA Truck Stop on the evening of July 18th to contact us via the tip page
4- ?
5- ?

The numbers I added are just for area reference, not for a time sequence. Please add 4 and 5 if you can, I can't get them to load.

Your 4th point is on V21 south, about 5-6-7 miles S of I-80. And I think by PFOI.
#5 is north on V21 where it intersects with HWY6. There is a large forested area there.

 

[Crystal Regan]

Well shoot, I should be expecting a knock at my door soon. I’ve probably checked the website 30 times in the past hour just trying to get the last 2 locations on the map to load

They obviously were not ready to make the site public. I bet two plugged nickels it crashes by midnight and if you ask them about it they will say, “ we are not in a place where we can indulge details about our ongoing nvestigation into our crummy website crashing.”

 

[Doghairrules]

Wow. Okay, thanks!

I should clarify that I believe that is at LE's insistence. I don't believe people aren't willing to look for Mollie.

 

[Veracity]

https://findingmollie.iowa.gov/

Can someone with LE experience, maybe specific IA LE experience, explain to me why they couldn't have done this earlier?

 

[Deleted member 227095]

You guys know all of our IP addresses are going to be on an FBI watch list for how many times we access the website, right?

Use a VPN people....or switch your browser to Onion/TOR..no reason to be totally afraid online as there are lots of tools to keep your identify secure.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

The idea that MT is down a well somewhere has been at the back of my mind since this started. Hard to say how this might have happened; could be happenstance/accident or foul play. But good call on bad capping, what a nightmare scenario!

Now that I think it through a bit more it's likely LE would have by now determined if this was the case since they likely would have a location. Apparently, that isn't the case so this remains a very remote possibility, bordering on unlikely.

 

[mountainguy777]

5 pm on the low side of the timeline now. Does that mean LE is ruling out the eyewitness accounts of her walking, jogging?

 

[kkdj]

5pm is interesting though. She hadn’t even been dropped off by her brother at this point.

I think they just mean something unusual in the area....an unfamiliar person or vehicle.

 

[MassGuy]

Does anyone else notice how this site is serious laggy especially while typing?

It’s laggy on my pc but not on my phone.

 

[goodprayers]

BBM I don't think that's fair. There was extensive conversation over these threads about people not locking their doors in rural communities. It's unheard of where I live but I wouldn't presume someone isn't equipped for life if they don't lock their door or go up to a car, for example to help someone asking for directions. Again - something I wouldn't do - I stay back and yell the directions.

As for women who run alone and something happens, your comment sounds to me like victim blaming.

Moooo

agree. we may know better, but sometimes we drop our guard and do things against our better judgment or our gut feeling. never hurts to remind people

 

[mountainguy777]

Well shoot, I should be expecting a knock at my door soon. I’ve probably checked the website 30 times in the past hour just trying to get the last 2 locations on the map to load

Stalker!! Jk