IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #40

[Confusion]

I think I'm in a very small minority, maybe even alone in my beliefs. I think he's telling the truth, for the most part. If he was going to lie, why make up a story that makes him so clearly sound guilty? I think the parts he is lying about are not remembering what happened and about just being drawn to her that day for some reason. I think he had probably been "drawn to her" several times in the past, but this was his first chance to do anything about it (without witnesses). I also think he remembers what happened during the entire time, but just doesn't want to say it out loud.

If he wanted to lie about the whole thing, I think he would have said something more along the lines of, "I stopped to talk to her for a minute and offered her a ride. She said she was on her way to her mother's house and needed to get in her run, so I left." Then he could leave the possibility open that someone else came along after he left her and assaulted/murdered her. I just find it hard to believe that anyone would be dumb enough to make up the story he's told, which leads me to believe most of it happened just the way he said or he has absolutely no imagination. MOO

 

[Jaclin]

You can always PM a mod with suggestions.

or maybe pinned posts that aren't relevant any longer can go unpinned?

 

[PrairieWind]

I know that some people do have black out/block out episodes for various reasons (drugs or alcohol, or anger, etc). But I just am not buying it here. In my opinion, he is just using it as an excuse to not have to tell anyone what he did to her. Perhaps he doesn't want his reputation stained in that way, or maybe he is even legitimately ashamed of what he did. But I think he knows exactly what all transpired, and I do think it all premeditated. I think he had been creeping on other girls, getting a little bolder each time. Mollie's jogging routine provided him with a perfect situation for him to finally do it. Maybe he had previous victims. but I get the feeling Mollie might be the first, at least of this level.

 

[MistyWaters]

Chevy Malibu's have the OnStar navigation system. It records gps locations of everywhere the car goes. Even if you don't subscribe to the OnStar program, the car still records it all. Once LE found the right Malibu, they could supoena GMC for past gps locations. Similar to a plane's black box. CR's goose was cooked even without cell phone geolocation info.

OnStar Tracks Your Car Even When You Cancel Service

"Navigation-and-emergency-services company OnStar is notifying its six million account holders that it will keep a complete accounting of the speed and location of OnStar-equipped vehicles, even for drivers who discontinue monthly service."

"Collecting location and speed data via GPS might also create a treasure trove of data that could be used in criminal and civil cases."

Wow, that’s interesting! If that data is available in this case, that’s huge! Had LE not located the Chevy Malibu that was sighted cruising around Brooklyn that night, I wonder if they could’ve eventually tracked it down by subpoenaing OnStar as well?

 

[TL4S]

Chevy Malibu's have the OnStar navigation system. It records gps locations of everywhere the car goes. Even if you don't subscribe to the OnStar program, the car still records it all. Once LE found the right Malibu, they could supoena GMC for past gps locations. Similar to a plane's black box. CR's goose was cooked even without cell phone geolocation info.

OnStar Tracks Your Car Even When You Cancel Service

"Navigation-and-emergency-services company OnStar is notifying its six million account holders that it will keep a complete accounting of the speed and location of OnStar-equipped vehicles, even for drivers who discontinue monthly service."

"Collecting location and speed data via GPS might also create a treasure trove of data that could be used in criminal and civil cases."

This is awesome!

 

[The Farm]

Chevy Malibu's have the OnStar navigation system. It records gps locations of everywhere the car goes. Even if you don't subscribe to the OnStar program, the car still records it all. Once LE found the right Malibu, they could supoena GMC for past gps locations. Similar to a plane's black box. CR's goose was cooked even without cell phone geolocation info.

OnStar Tracks Your Car Even When You Cancel Service

"Navigation-and-emergency-services company OnStar is notifying its six million account holders that it will keep a complete accounting of the speed and location of OnStar-equipped vehicles, even for drivers who discontinue monthly service."

"Collecting location and speed data via GPS might also create a treasure trove of data that could be used in criminal and civil cases."

Oh my that is interesting.

 

[Jaclin]

I think she was as well, and I think he may have held her for a period of time


I don’t understand that statement in the warrant

Does it mean he went back to the body before he was arrested?

He was not blocked out when the left her so why and when did he need to trace back on his phone?

I'm not even sure how you go about finding a location you were in previously on your phone, unless you saved the location on google maps or something like that.

 

[Bravo]

Thank you. Yesterday I thought I saw (heard) you say your
Quote button was not working.

No not me. I have never had trouble with quote. It's my like button. Frequently. So I stop liking for a bit lol

 

[Bravo]

I feel like his story was formed around what LE told him. I picture LE hammering into him such things as we know you were here, we know this etc. etc. Based on what they knew at the time and what they thought. IMO he knew he was had.

 

[SharonNeedles]

I think I'm in a very small minority, maybe even alone in my beliefs. I think he's telling the truth, for the most part. If he was going to lie, why make up a story that makes him so clearly sound guilty? I think the parts he is lying about are not remembering what happened and about just being drawn to her that day for some reason. I think he had probably been "drawn to her" several times in the past, but this was his first chance to do anything about it (without witnesses). I also think he remembers what happened during the entire time, but just doesn't want to say it out loud.

If he wanted to lie about the whole thing, I think he would have said something more along the lines of, "I stopped to talk to her for a minute and offered her a ride. She said she was on her way to her mother's house and needed to get in her run, so I left." Then he could leave the possibility open that someone else came along after he left her and assaulted/murdered her. I just find it hard to believe that anyone would be dumb enough to make up the story he's told, which leads me to believe most of it happened just the way he said or he has absolutely no imagination. MOO

Honestly I doubt he was “drawn to her” in the past, nor do I think he was out stalking her but rather just out cruising around town and tried to pick up on her. I wish I knew how he first met his ex... she was a high schooler at Brooklyn, it wouldn’t be unusual that he first met her while out driving around town too.

 

[Bravo]

He did say he had seen Mollie jogging prior to that night. That I do believe.

 

[Sanz]

Steven Capobianco comes to mind immediately, and I'm sure veteran sleuths here can name many others. In CR's case, LE had no reason to suspect him prior to their review of the video surveillance footage, so he had no reason to fear his phone being tracked. But I agree that he didn't give it a second thought. His focus was elsewhere. MOO

Aloha Kapua I lived in Kahana during the Charli Scott case. Exactly. And I was also thinking about was when they found her bone fragments 5 months later they also found five fingernails, skin fragments, clumps of red hair and a body piercing with some flesh attached. Many here have mentioned DNA and such. Hopefully they will have much more in the case of MT.

 

[MsBetsy]

I think I'm in a very small minority, maybe even alone in my beliefs. I think he's telling the truth, for the most part. If he was going to lie, why make up a story that makes him so clearly sound guilty? I think the parts he is lying about are not remembering what happened and about just being drawn to her that day for some reason. I think he had probably been "drawn to her" several times in the past, but this was his first chance to do anything about it (without witnesses). I also think he remembers what happened during the entire time, but just doesn't want to say it out loud.

If he wanted to lie about the whole thing, I think he would have said something more along the lines of, "I stopped to talk to her for a minute and offered her a ride. She said she was on her way to her mother's house and needed to get in her run, so I left." Then he could leave the possibility open that someone else came along after he left her and assaulted/murdered her. I just find it hard to believe that anyone would be dumb enough to make up the story he's told, which leads me to believe most of it happened just the way he said or he has absolutely no imagination. MOO

Maybe. But think of all the evidence he knew they had. No point in lying about it if they already knew the truth. I know I have said it before, but I think all the lies are to avoid telling LE the events that he believes they have no evidence for. Bits and parts of the story ARE true, probably. She did make him angry. She ran. He chased her down. That I believe. It's the part of not remembering the gory details that I don't believe. He didn't really need an inagination, in my opinion, since in general much of the first few minutes likely occurred just the way he said. He woke up in his car, in a cornfield, according to him. He carried the body into the cornfield, slung over his shoulders. The only part he is leaving out are the disgusting, brutal details about what he did to her. It may be possible that alone was so traumatic for him, he was in such an uncontrollable rage, that he really can't remember. It's not something we can definitely rule out. But I, for one, would be surprised if they come up with any evidence to support that. And if there is no trial it may forever be a mystery!!

 

[The Farm]

Honestly I doubt he was “drawn to her” in the past, nor do I think he was out stalking her but rather just out cruising around town and tried to pick up on her. I wish I knew how he first met his ex... she was a high schooler at Brooklyn, it wouldn’t be unusual that he first met her while out driving around town too.

Do we know if his girlfriend was in Brooklyn before he ended up there? And how long had she been there? I do not think I have seen any of that info.

 

[jillycat]

I think I'm in a very small minority, maybe even alone in my beliefs. I think he's telling the truth, for the most part. If he was going to lie, why make up a story that makes him so clearly sound guilty? I think the parts he is lying about are not remembering what happened and about just being drawn to her that day for some reason. I think he had probably been "drawn to her" several times in the past, but this was his first chance to do anything about it (without witnesses). I also think he remembers what happened during the entire time, but just doesn't want to say it out loud.

If he wanted to lie about the whole thing, I think he would have said something more along the lines of, "I stopped to talk to her for a minute and offered her a ride. She said she was on her way to her mother's house and needed to get in her run, so I left." Then he could leave the possibility open that someone else came along after he left her and assaulted/murdered her. I just find it hard to believe that anyone would be dumb enough to make up the story he's told, which leads me to believe most of it happened just the way he said or he has absolutely no imagination. MOO

I'm sure he knew she wouldn't hop in a car with him, so I think that means he knew he had to grab her when there was opportunity. I don't think he wants people to know how quickly he cornered and captured her. So he may be mixing fact with fiction about the initial encounter, or totally making it up if he simply ambushed her. And I think the black out/blocked memory tale is an utter fabrication.

I also think he knew LE had him and they likely made a very compelling case for giving up her location.

 

[Bravo]

There was one Gal who stated that killer had a short temper but didn't expand beyond that. Anyone remember that?

 

[cluciano63]

When he first confessed, I doubt LE had much evidence at all other than video. They would not have any forensic results, cause of death, etc...so he seems to have told them quite a lot before they would know much at all, imo.

 

[Sanz]

I'm not even sure how you go about finding a location you were in previously on your phone, unless you saved the location on google maps or something like that.

An iPhone can tracking your movement (if you have Location Services turned on). You can see all the places you have visited recently, including duration of your stay.

 

[Bravo]

No they wouldn't have forensics but they may have told him what they did know and threw in what they thought.

 

[Gardenista]

Honestly I doubt he was “drawn to her” in the past, nor do I think he was out stalking her but rather just out cruising around town and tried to pick up on her. I wish I knew how he first met his ex... she was a high schooler at Brooklyn, it wouldn’t be unusual that he first met her while out driving around town too.

Do some googling to find people who previously lived at the the address of the white house and follow the breadcrumbs.