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

[TL4S]

IMO - 'Multiple Sharp Force Trauma' is extra depraved. Regardless the tool or weapon, it feels like a more hateful and demonstrative way to kill.

We don't know the details of her fatal injuries, so we don't know if the wounds were random, or methodical. Rage-driven, or ritualistic. The differences would be very telling.

Or maybe a sharp object was simply what he had on hand. IDK

MOO - CR readily gave LE her body. He admitted to getting angry and attacking her. I think his description of the abduction sounds plausible, as well (yes, some victim blaming, but maybe he really did go into a rage when she not only rejected him, but found him so alarming she threatened to call for help). Of course SA could have been his motive from the beginning, or it turned into that. Again, we aren't given that information.

In any case, he knows what he's done, and he knows he's in trouble. Lying and then handing over the body are contradicting, however. Maybe he's truly shocked by his own perversion and doesn't want to admit out loud those things he did with such deviance. Or not. We can't see inside his mind, and wouldn't probably want to.

I think he could have done this before, but I also think it could be a first time. I don't have enough details (or knowledge) to make that judgment.

In any case, the cause of death brought my thinking of CR, and this horrible event, to a whole new level.

Note: I'm wondering if the farm house is getting searched because they are looking for the murder weapon (or clothing, electronics, anything else from that night). Is her phone there? Is that why LE asked LC if MT was inside a house at 9:45pm? We may never know.

 

[kpm]

Question. So if Mollie was raped (ugh). How long before they would know this? I realize the preliminary autopsy was done, would this be evident at this point or would they need to wait until DNA results are in? Sorry for my stupidity!

Imo, depending on the condition of the body it may show visible signs of trauma

I’m positive they will do everything they can to figure this out

 

[gliving]

I guess I’m feeling that Mollie wasn’t killed right away. It makes no sense that CR would just stab her or whatever when his initial motive clearly wasn’t murder. Just because Mollies cause of death was multiple sharp force trauma doesn’t necessarily imply that there isn’t evidence of other trauma that didn’t cause her death (the autopsy was only required to report the cause of death).

SharonNeedles, do cattle workers use lassos? Like calf wrestling? How do they catch the little guys when separating them from the herd? Just wondering if CR would have access to ropes? tia

 

[cluciano63]

Maybe Le has not located all of her items, so they want to reconstruct his movements.

 

[Gardenista]

Question. So if Mollie was raped (ugh). How long before they would know this? I realize the preliminary autopsy was done, would this be evident at this point or would they need to wait until DNA results are in? Sorry for my stupidity!

We may never know due to decomposition and exposure of her clothing to the elements. But maybe they will be lucky and find something on CRs clothing. Seems unlikely, though

 

[Trident]

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.

Good advice. It would be much better to die, if die you might, by a gunshot than to have your fingernails pulled out, gang raped, tasers or cattle prods used in private places. See a gun? RUN.

IMO

 

[Peppery]

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

Exactly. I myself send “hope you’re having a good night” texts when I know my bf is doing something and won’t get it for awhile. Just to let him know I’m thinking of him at that moment.

 

[netbrsr]

SharonNeedles, do cattle workers use lassos? Like calf wrestling? How do they catch the little guys when separating them from the herd? Just wondering if CR would have access to ropes? tia

The normal is put them in a steel pen and separate off the calves by letting the mom's go. Horse and rope isn't a normal for Iowa. Plus being milking cows, the cows are used to being milked and lead very easily. A bucket of corn if needed and they will follow you anywhere.

 

[ACG2x]

Imo, depending on the condition of the body it may show visible signs of trauma

I’m positive they will do everything they can to figure this out

Not to get too in-depth or gross but there is postmortem testing that can be done to the genital area that can determine if a sexual assault had occurred, especially if the body hadn't decayed for a lengthy period of time. Typically tests can determine extreme stress or bruising there and tissue samples can have DNA testing done to match a perp. After only a month, there would still be some usable physical evidence.

The ones that are difficult if not impossible are those where the remains have completely skeletalized and no body tissue and little genetic material remains. Had it been 6+ months since her disappearance, we may be having a different conversation.

 

[MsBetsy]

My thought when I saw that was.. and did he snap out of it with electronics that didn't belong to him and someone in his trunk then too??

I'm curious about his statements about black outs as well. Maybe it happens every time he kills someone.

 

[OldCop]

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.

I think he would have had to hold a rock very precisely for it to cause a sharp force cutting injury instead of blunt force.

 

[Chebrock]

Question: Did LE or FBI use dogs to try and locate MT? Dogs would surely have found a body lying in a corn field... I guess I thought dogs were always used. If they did use dogs, then MT wasn't in that corn field when the dogs searched there.

 

[CheetosDust]

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.

All excellent! I want to definitely get security cameras at our final residence. Solved a crime in Mollie’s case and others!

 

[The Farm]

Please dont be afraid to arm yourself and use it if need be. I tell my daughters..if you you're afraid you'll kill someone while defending yourself then just aim for the kneecaps and give em a limp for the rest of their life.

Just a little note to this because that is what I always thought, disable them at the legs.
Well I took some classes with some special force military guys and they told me to NEVER do that. Always aim for the chest to eliminate the threat.

 

[CheetosDust]

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.

I had a Garmin Vivofit and I was under the impression that all the tracked info was stored in the “cloud”? Someone correct me if I’m wrong!

Edit: added word “was”

 

[SheriBerry]

The normal is put them in a steel pen and separate off the calves by letting the mom's go. Horse and rope isn't a normal for Iowa. Plus being milking cows, the cows are used to being milked and lead very easily. A bucket of corn if needed and they will follow you anywhere.

Yes we had cows. The minute they see you with food they will ALL come to feeding area and follow you around easily.

 

[netbrsr]

A theory that keeps going around in my head is this: And I know the confession is a lie.
She threatens to call the cops, he knocks the phone out of her hand and breaks it. Offers to pay or replace and she gets in the car in the expectation of getting her phone replaced. It would explain the why the phone shut off, why there was no fight and no neighbors heard or saw the struggle. He then drives to either his house or the corn field and kills her.

 

[cody22]

LMAO

Mollie Tibbetts' Suspected Murderer Is an 'All-American Boy' with No Prior Record, Defense Argues

Well, bless his little red, white, and blue all American Boy heart.....Thank you for posting that.

 

[SheriBerry]

Just a little note to this because that is what I always thought, disable them at the legs.
Well I took some classes with some special force military guys and they told me to NEVER do that. Always aim for the chest to eliminate the threat.

Yes if I was in that situation, I would never aim for anything but the chest area (widest area most difficult to miss) Trying to take our their knees might do nothing more then just piss them off worse. lol

 

[ACG2x]

Question: Did LE or FBI use dogs to try and locate MT? Dogs would surely have found a body lying in a corn field... I guess I thought dogs were always used. If they did use dogs, then MT wasn't in that corn field when the dogs searched there.

They did but you have to understand how vast this area is. The town and buildings/houses therein are a very small percentage of area. Miles upon miles of fields with all kinds of other smells, environmental factors, weather, etc. They had searched close to where her body was found but not close enough for dogs to pick it up.

Real LE dogs aren't like the movies where they put a piece of the person's clothing under the dog's nose and they immediately race over to where they are at. Even the best LE dogs can't pick up a scent miles upon miles away.