IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #39

[MsBetsy]

No in the affidavit he says it was when he arrived at the cornfield.

True but I believe he was in his car when he " arrived at the cornfield."

 

[Kaylas]

Exactly, I think he is just USING the memory of the earbud, regardless of when it occurred in the order of events, to justify his " story" of blacking out.

That’s right, His Story! Rivera had a month to come up with a way to justify “memory blackout or blocking out an event” . He did lead LE to her body which brought closure to many people. I don’t believe he really blacked out.

 

[MsBetsy]

I wonder if the earbuds have been located.

Me too. I would think LE has seen the state of them and that's what may have triggered him to mention that in particular when he was questioned. Of course he is going to use something they already know about.

 

[MntnHiker]

I went to a Run for Mollie event today and lots of people showed up to run in her memory.

My thoughts are with her family and friends today as they attend her funeral this afternoon.

 

[Kaylas]

I still follow Mollie's case, but it always been seeing photos of her as she is ALWAYS smiling. And a beautiful smile and that makes it tough. Too bad Iowa doesn't have the death penalty, but then again a life sentence among some of those he will be around in the general population may mean a VERY rough life.

If he gets multiple life sentences, the prison population will be brutal to him. They may view him as a child predator. Killers of innocent twenty year olds aren’t treated with respect (I believe).

 

[TL4S]

So that must mean 'Earbud' is to 'body in the trunk' as 'blood stain' is to 'iTunes'. The guy has twisted logic.

 

[Mom24]

All I was trying to say is I don't believe he blacked out at all, but is simply taking the memory of seeing an earbud*( doesn't matter where or when it occured!)and using that to convince investigators that HE DOESN'T REMEMBER anything that occurred before he woke up ( came to). I do not think "nothing that happened between the the threat and the earbud on his lap,", CAN BE REMEMBERED as you stated, is correct, That is just his story. He wants them believe he doesn't remember the most evil part of the deed that was done. I don't know how else to explain it. That being said, it doesn't mean there could not have been an ear bud on his lap or nearby that occurred after the assault. It does not have to be in the timeframe in his story and he is just USING it because it is convenient to his story. I did have a (loose) theory about how the earbud came to be off Mollie in the first place, because Ithink it really did. Obviously it was significant in his mind because he recalled it and used it to put it in his "story." Using that fact alone, I was simply trying to come up with a scenario that would have explained a loose earbud anywhere near Mollies body. Thats all. NOT SAYING WHEN IT HAPPENED, just that it had to have been when he finished assaulting her at one point. He only "says" he woke up in a car, in a cornfield, because it suits his story. What he is probably REALLY referring to is the moment he either started the assault or right after. He is just recalling that location because that was the place he left her body. My opinion only and I hope that's more clear! Last night, or early this morning, I was exhausted from trying to explain it so many times so I gave up.

I just want to carry that sentiment one step further. I believe it's a storyline he's used in the past to cover his tracks. I'm convinced they will find prior assaults and this was his was his story then too. The reason he didn't run is because this storyline has worked in the past. I think it worked in Mexico, I think it worked with his community and he had no reason to believe it wouldn't work again. I'd be curious if the sexual contact he had with IM was consensual or not and it wouldn't surprise me to learn he had raped her and his community had opted not to report him because he "blacked out". Those pics of him with his child didn't look like a happy man, he appeared sullen and disinterested in both the child and IM.

 

[Mom24]

So that must mean 'Earbud' is to 'body in the trunk' as 'blood stain' is to 'iTunes'. The guy has twisted logic.

It would lead one to believe this scenario has happened before. He blacks out, comes to, and finds something in his lap indicating there's another body in the trunk.

 

[TL4S]

It would lead one to believe this scenario has happened before. He blacks out, comes to, and finds something in his lap indicating there's another body in the trunk.

Exactly!

 

[MsBetsy]

My impression is that he decided on "block out" as his defense, but he had to give an explanation for how these "block outs", which he's experienced before, happen. He decided that Mollie was responsible for causing the "block out", but how would he explain coming out of it. That's where an earbud on his lap comes into the story.

Yes!!! We are on the same page. When you referred to the black out story in a previous post, I hadn't seen all your posts and thought you were stating none of those events can be remembered as a definitive possibility. Of course there is a remote possibility he had some sort of temporary amnesia, or had a black out event, but I tend not to believe that. It's just too convenient.

 

[Mom24]

If he does have Aspergers or any form of Autism, this is actually a very scary thought if the defense can use this to justify his behavior, since it is a very real and well studied disorder. Please, lawyers, can you give your opinion as to whether a disorder like this can be used effectively by the defense , if there are psychological tests to back it up?. It's much easier to prove than Anti -personality Disorder.

I believe, and Alethea can correct me, but it wouldn't matter. I think it has something to do with the ability to distinguish right from wrong, but regardless even if he couldn't make that distinction between right or wrong the sentence would be the same, it would only serve as a mechanism to argue a difference in where he might be incarcerated.

 

[Mom24]

I wonder if the earbuds have been located.

They might be his trophy.

 

[SteveP]

If he gets multiple life sentences, the prison population will be brutal to him. They may view him as a child predator. Killers of innocent twenty year olds aren’t treated with respect (I believe).

Hard to know how he might be treated in prison, without knowing something about the makeup of the prison population, but barring him being connected to, tried and convicted, of other crimes as well as the abduction and murder of Mollie, and I suppose that is a possibility, I don't see that he would get multiple life sentences, nor do I see him being viewed as a child predator for killing a 20 year old young woman. For me, him getting one life sentence, with no possibility of parole, will work. Nothing could really ever be enough, anyway. JMO

 

[kpm]

I just want to carry that sentiment one step further. I believe it's a storyline he's used in the past to cover his tracks. I'm convinced they will find prior assaults and this was his was his story then too. The reason he didn't run is because this storyline has worked in the past. I think it worked in Mexico, I think it worked with his community and he had no reason to believe it wouldn't work again. I'd be curious if the sexual contact he had with IM was consensual or not and it wouldn't surprise me to learn he had raped her and his community had opted not to report him because he "blacked out". Those pics of him with his child didn't look like a happy man, he appeared sullen and disinterested in both the child and IM.

He was an older guy taking advantage of a HS girl, he literally crushed hers dreams by getting pregnant in HS.

He preyed on younger girls because no one his age would have anything to do with him, and imo that is what started his downward spiral, revenge.

He felt he was entitled to take what he wanted, fake IDS and living a lie didn’t get him what he wanted though so he took it no matter the cost.

Moo

 

[MsBetsy]

It would lead one to believe this scenario has happened before. He blacks out, comes to, and finds something in his lap indicating there's another body in Im sure his lawyer will be sure to make us believe that.

 

[TL4S]

They might be his trophy.

I wondered that, as well. He quite possibly was holding them (it) while he drove. If he's truly a SK type, maybe he has some kind of ritual on his drive to the body dump (that sounds WAY out there, IMO, but tossing it around anyway). I don't think he'd hand them over, either, if he had them stashed. And maybe bringing them up in his story is almost compulsive. Seriously, I'm psychoanalyzing and have absolutely NO qualifications to do so.

He could simply be lying out his *advertiser censored**.

 

[MsBetsy]

I believe, and Alethea can correct me, but it wouldn't matter. I think it has something to do with the ability to distinguish right from wrong, but regardless even if he couldn't make that distinction between right or wrong the sentence would be the same, it would only serve as a mechanism to argue a difference in where he might be incarcerated.

True but if one truly cannot distinguish right and wrong I would think the punishment would be different. It would prove they may not understand the consequences of their actions. It will be interesting to hear Aletheas answer. If anything I would think he would be placed in a forensic psychiatric prison but still that is not good, imo

 

[Mom24]

Hard to know how he might be treated in prison, without knowing something about the makeup of the prison population, but barring him being connected to, tried and convicted, of other crimes as well as the abduction and murder of Mollie, and I suppose that is a possibility, I don't see that he would get multiple life sentences, nor do I see him being viewed as a child predator for killing a 20 year old young woman. JMO

<modsnipped> Additionally, because he's the criminal in a high profile case, anyone who takes him on is going to get famous too. But even beyond that, this man is never going to hurt another female, he's never going to have the american dream, and he's never again going to be free. In that respect, I'm kind of glad they don't have the death penalty because he can live in the mess he created for himself every day for the rest of his life.

 

[TL4S]

True but if one truly cannot distinguish right and wrong I would think the punishment would be different. It would prove they may not understand the consequences of their actions. It will be interesting to hear Aletheas answer. If anything I would think he would be placed in a psychiatric prison but still that is not good, imo

Would he have told police he covered the body with corn leaves to hide it if he didn't know right from wrong?

 

[Mom24]

I wondered that, as well. He quite possibly was holding them (it) while he drove. If he's truly a SK type, maybe he has some kind of ritual on his drive to the body dump (that sounds WAY out there, IMO, but tossing it around anyway). I don't think he'd hand them over, either, if he had them stashed. And maybe bringing them up in his story is almost compulsive. Seriously, I'm psychoanalyzing and have absolutely NO qualifications to do so.

He could simply be lying out his *advertiser censored**.

Have to say, that last line is the winner. Best post of the day!