IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #37

[kidetect22]

Saddened by the preliminary autopsy report. Was hoping it was fast and she didn’t suffer... sweet girl.

 

[duster1979]

Hi all. Good morning!

I’m thinking, like many of you, about what type of weapon could have caused the wounds. Leatherman type multi-tool? Trying to think of what he’d have onhand. Curious about other thoughts out there.

Probably a sling blade. Some folks call it a Kaiser blade, I call it a sling blade. Mmmmm-hmmmm.

Seriously, I think it was whatever he happened to have. Leatherman, folding knife, butterfly knife, switchblade, box cutter, belt knife, whatever. Some have opined that he used a corn knife or other implement specific to farming because he worked on a farm. I think that's unlikely, modern farms like the one where he worked really don't use those type of implements these days, and even if he did use a machete or something at work from time to time it's highly unlikely that he'd have it in his personal vehicle.

If he used something other than a common knife that people routinely carry it was because he planned it out, not because he just happened to have it with him.

I’m not very experienced with this way of thinking, but from too much crime-show watching, I thought multiple wounds like this could indicate great anger/passion/emotion in the crime. I wonder if he had been obsessed for a while.

It's possible. But it's also possible that once he got started he took out every frustration he was carrying on her.

Another thing going through my mind is his claim that this isn’t the first time he has “blacked out.” I’m curious about previous occurrences of this. He would need to substantiate this in court, I assume?

Again, it's possible. But it's really not an effective defense because he'd still know that what he was doing was wrong during the blackout period. The only exception would be if he argues multiple personality disorder.

 

[MsBetsy]

Couldn't a sharp rock cause "multiple sharp force injuries"? Just wondering if he picked up a rock in the field and used it on her. Thus the "bleeding head" half truth (IMO) statement.

That's what I was thinking at first because that would fit in with the story he told. That he found some object near by, but I wonder if a sharp rock would cut through to the bone?

 

[JudgeJoe]

Mortvedt said officials do not anticipate filing additional charges against Rivera, but that decision will depend on where the evidence leads, and he cautioned there was still a large period of time unaccounted for.

"We want to account for everything that he did in that time leading up to the abduction but then since until he was in our custody yesterday," he said.

Investigator: Suspect in Mollie Tibbetts' death 'hadn't come across the radar' until Monday

LE are interested in everything he did over a large period of time

This confuses me. If abduction, then why not add the kidnapping charge? If not abduction, did Mollie die at the first location?

 

[oviedo]

Mortvedt said officials do not anticipate filing additional charges against Rivera, but that decision will depend on where the evidence leads, and he cautioned there was still a large period of time unaccounted for.

"We want to account for everything that he did in that time leading up to the abduction but then since until he was in our custody yesterday," he said.

Investigator: Suspect in Mollie Tibbetts' death 'hadn't come across the radar' until Monday

LE are interested in everything he did over a large period of time

I am curious if search warrants are public information? They would have listed what they were searching for in the house. I am now worried she was held for a time... poor Mollie.

 

[Rossymom]

We have made some decisions in this house due to my WS family and the advice I learn here.
1) I will never walk with my hearing being impaired (music/podcast). Even on base, where I feel very secure.
2) We are investing in security cameras for our home. For our security and in case our filming can help solve a crime.
3) I will purchase mace for myself and all of my girls. I am a licensed open carry and have extensive training, but my walks are in public places. I’d sure hate to injure an innocent bystander. We only carry on rail trails (less populated) while walking or riding bikes with husband.

 

[feralwriter]

He was a good boy, he didn't do nothing wrong. Until that murder thing.

That's right.

I'm guessing it may take years, but at some point, too, we're going to hear a younger female relative or neighbor of his, or relative of a friend or coworker of his, come out & say "No one believed me that he was bothering me, but he was all along. No one would listen."

The euphemism "bothering".

 

[NewYork625]

Understood - but it makes no sense she’d say “goodnight” around 7ish.

Did she say goodnight? I don't remember. If she did, maybe it was because he had to be up at 4:30am for his construction job, IIRC.

 

[BobA]

Thought a lot about this over the past 24 hours and my gift to Mollie is going to be to advise young women to carry pepper spray (I bought some new pepper spray for myself) and I’m also going to be more aware of women jogging alone. It only takes a few seconds to take note of someone’s appearance and check the time.

Also...these reports of CR scoping out women and circling them doesn’t surprise me. I wouldn’t doubt a history of domestic violence/anger. I do think this is his first killing. I’m really good at reading body language, but usually get a better sense when the perp is being questioned by police or interviewed by the media and of course (thankfully) we didn’t see that. Psychopaths fool me every time because they truly believe their own lies and even have the micro expressions down. Chris Watts for example, but that’s OT, and I could say more on him. Anyways, I think CR is a budding SK and should be locked away for life in accordance with Iowa’s laws.

Love your comments. I know a handful of ladies that are constantly running or walking alone. I always encourage them to run with a partner or at the very least arm themselves. I often times think that it goes in one ear and out the other. I think for the most part it's just inconvenient for people to schedule a running time with a partner and/or some people just want to run or walk alone too.
One friend calls me when she runs and invites me to follow on my bicycle so that works for both of us.
After following along on WS for many years and seeing the details of some of these cases I can't help but wonder why people aren't more cautious. Maybe they just think it could never happen to them...idk.
Especially today with the wide spread use of drugs and the unpredictable behavior that follows, it is more important than ever to be aware and extra careful..imo
I found a six-pack of mace on-line for $20...so im going to be giving those away soon.

Also, if you watch the video of Chris Watts you might take note of what his throat does when he lies.
His choice of words were another tell. When he said "and i'm going to leave it at that" when speaking of the argument with his wife.
These two things convinced me he was lying early on.
/thanks..n im a cheetos fan too

 

[Kristikay52]

I can't stop thinking about poor Mollie and how infuriating it is that women jogging unsafe and we need to be on guard at all times.
I'm training for a half marathon and I have to get my weekday runs in at 4:00am. I carry pepper spray, run on the sidewalk of a well-lit and well traveled road and a friend who I meet for 5am boot camp class tracks my location on her phone. But I've missed 2 runs this week because I can't stop thinking about Mollie and how stuff happens so fast.

 

[know_what_i'm_sayin']

I was thinking about this last night as well. I agree, seems off to send a snap to your bf saying goodnight long before you're actually going to bed. Do we know for sure it said "goodnight"? I can't recall that detail. And the People article where Mitch Mortvedt says he can't comment on if she was held for any period of time after being taken...it makes me wonder.

Not if she knew he was an "early to bed" kind of person. Working long hours in construction, waking up early, he probably goes to bed early too. I'd think she was saying good night to him, but not going to bed herself.

 

[Warwick7]

Understood - but it makes no sense she’d say “goodnight” around 7ish.

It does if she knew he wasn't allowed to use his phone on the job. She could send it knowing it would be opened late. One time I packed my husband's suitcase. It was early in the morning, however I put a card inside and it said goodnight sweet dreams yada yada knowing after he got to his destination late he would see my goodnight card.

 

[Mom24]

We have made some decisions in this house due to my WS family and the advice I learn here.
1) I will never walk with my hearing being impaired (music/podcast). Even on base, where I feel very secure.
2) We are investing in security cameras for our home. For our security and in case our filming can help solve a crime.
3) I will purchase mace for myself and all of my girls. I am a licensed open carry and have extensive training, but my walks are in public places. I’d sure hate to injure an innocent bystander. We only carry on rail trails (less populated) while walking or riding bikes with husband.

I'd add one thing, either self defense classes or taekwondo. I think it's important for everyone to learn self-defense. And seriously, box cutters. They're cheap, sharp and you can swing wild with them. The point isn't to disable your attacker, it's to surprise them. That moment of surprise can give you a window of opportunity. And never ever ever get into a car or in any way allow to yourself to be taken to a secondary location. Never. Even if you're facing a gun, run. It's not like the movies, moving targets are hard to hit and better to be shot in a residential area, than to be taken to a private location and perhaps never found.

 

[MsBetsy]

This confuses me. If abduction, then why not add the kidnapping charge? If not abduction, did Mollie die at the first location?

I wish we knew what large period of time he is referring to. Does he mean from right after the murder ( around 8:30,- throughout the rest of the evening because his account of what he did or where he was after doesn't add up??

 

[duster1979]

Understood - but it makes no sense she’d say “goodnight” around 7ish.

We don't know that she said "Goodnight", only that she sent the picture.

 

[Warwick7]

The majority of the reward money was specifically for the SAFE return of MT, so no payout except, maybe, for first 1 to 2 thousand offered. Existence of this video was uncovered by police canvas of area, and family (who likely had no idea of what they had) surrendered system to LE, but it took many hours to find the vital small clips of video that cracked the case.

Didn't they bring it to LE wondering if it might have something?

 

[muppethead]

I wish we knew what large period of time he is referring to. Does he mean from right after the murder ( around 8:30,- throughout the rest of the evening because his account of what he did or where he was after doesn't add up??

If they can find that fitbit then that could fill in the timeline - right? If it was tracking pulse/heartbeat? They should have people searching high and low for that.

 

[MsBetsy]

It does if she knew he wasn't allowed to use his phone on the job. She could send it knowing it would be opened late. One time I packed my husband's suitcase. It was early in the morning, however I put a card inside and it said goodnight sweet dreams yada yada knowing after he got to his destination late he would see my goodnight card.

But she didn't say goodnight. Those are his words. Since he opened it as he was falling asleep, he just referred to it that way. He has no idea what time it was sent. She was probably planning on sending him another one later, imo.

 

[kpm]

I wish we knew what large period of time he is referring to. Does he mean from right after the murder ( around 8:30,- throughout the rest of the evening because his account of what he did or where he was after doesn't add up??

IMO, he means from July 18 until they located her.

They now have the autopsy report and probably a good idea of when her death occurred, that may not be lining up with his ridiculous story so we are seeing these statements coming out of LE.

 

[SheriBerry]

That's what I was thinking at first because that would fit in with the story he told. That he found some object near by, but I wonder if a sharp rock would cut through to the bone?

Oh yes, I believe so. I hate to use this as a comparison but think about your kitchen mallet when you tenderize meat. A sharp edged rock could do some serious damage. Ugh.