Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #45

[TL4S]

Could the hog farm ping come from where she was in the cornfield?

Is it in the right vicinity?

I'll put up a map I posted long ago. MOO I'm no cell phone tower expert (wish I was, after this case...), but I do suspect that if CR drove 200th St. south to 460th, then near that 200th/460th intersection her phone could possibly have pinged off two towers (Deep River and Guernsey) because they are relatively the same distance apart. If he headed east on 460th a little bit, which would put him less than a mile straight north of the pig farm, maybe he left the the Deep River tower range because Guernsey was closer, so her cell pinged again. From there, if her phone stayed in the same sector of the Guernsey tower, it might not ping again (I've read it could be hours if in the same spot). That could explain the last ping being near the pig farm, and if you look at the estimated ranges and sector of my map (which is ONLY my guesstimate), yellow would be the area you would search based solely on the cell phone pings, and that is the area where many of the known searches happened. JMO

Note: The pig farm is inside that purple box. The blue line is the travel route, and the body site is at the end of that blue line.

 

[kpm]

I'll put up a map I posted long ago. MOO I'm no cell phone tower expert (wish I was, after this case...), but I do suspect that if CR drove 200th St. south to 460th, then near that 200th/460th intersection her phone could possibly have pinged off two towers (Deep River and Guernsey) because they are relatively the same distance apart. If he headed east on 460th a little bit, which would put him less than a mile straight north of the pig farm, maybe he left the the Deep River tower range because Guernsey was closer, so her cell pinged again. From there, if her phone stayed in the same sector of the Guernsey tower, it might not ping again (I've read it could be hours if in the same spot). That could explain the last ping being near the pig farm, and if you look at the estimated ranges and sector of my map (which is ONLY my guesstimate), yellow would be the area you would search based solely on the cell phone pings, and that is the area where many of the known searches happened. JMO

Note: The pig farm is inside that purple box. The blue line is the travel route, and the body site is at the end of that blue line.

I wonder if he turned her phone off or it died, it was almost 24 hours before anyone noticed she was missing and her family claims as soon as they could they started calling and texting.

Her mom said she had texted her a few times that day, I wonder if a phone pings for incoming text?

Thanks for the map!

 

[TL4S]

I wonder if he turned her phone off or it died, it was almost 24 hours before anyone noticed she was missing and her family claims as soon as they could they started calling and texting.

Her mom said she had texted her a few times that day, I wonder if a phone pings for incoming text?

Thanks for the map!

Well, somewhere around midnight, or thereafter, it began to rain, and it rained a couple inches, so despite being covered in corn leaves, I'm betting the phone got wet and died in the early morning hours, if not before simply from low batteries. It's always possible he turned it off, though. We don't know.

 

[Jaclin]

Well, somewhere around midnight, or thereafter, it began to rain, and it rained a couple inches, so despite being covered in corn leaves, I'm betting the phone got wet and died in the early morning hours, if not before simply from low batteries. It's always possible he turned it off, though. We don't know.

adding that we don't know how water resistant her phone would have been, nor do we know how good the drainage is in that area. (if rain water will pool or is immediately drained)

 

[kpm]

adding that we don't know how water resistant her phone would have been, nor do we know how good the drainage is in that area. (if rain water will pool or is immediately drained)

I totally forgot about the rain!

LE should be able to get the phone history too.

 

[The Farm]

Well we have no idea if he took her phone which I am kind of thinking he might have to sell it or if in fact it completely slipped his blackout mind and he left it with Mollie.

 

[MsBetsy]

Good Morning!
I am from the cloth that everything CR has said is BS. The block/blackout none of it makes any sense. The easiest thing to say is I remember nothing,....which is what he did. Let's not forget also that he had 5 weeks to come up with something for if and when the trail led to him. And I can bet he conferred with some of his working buddies/family.
So I personally am not hell bent on trying to figure out the earbud/trunk thing because I myself believe it is all BS.

Right. I've been on another thread but keep coming back to check in, and here we are discussing the earbud and block out story all over again like we did 15 threads ago. Someone mentioned the lawyers are reading WS. If they are, they have pretty good reason to think using the memory loss story might work. Jmo

 

[Al Hoffman]

This may tie into the whole language/translation thing. JMO

And this translation issue will be key to any "Blocking Out" Diminished Capacity defence.

A previous up thread native Spanish speaker pointed out that there are phrases in Spanish that specifically refer to "the heat of passion" and associated foggy memory afterwards. (Maybe other native Mexican Spanish speakers can weigh in on this).

What is germaine, is how CR said "blocked out" in HIS native Spanish, and what that means in the common parlance and dialect of his adolescent and current community.

This is a cultural milieau issue. The exact same issue that I have previously said could be used as a grounds to overturn CR's Miranda and throw out any confession before he first saw an attorney. This as CR may have truly believed that he had no "right" to not tell the truth to the Federalies. (Becaue of the "rubber hose" he believed to be in the other room, no matter what Miranda assurances were given to the contrary.)

This cultural milieu issue will be important to both the defense and the prosecution. One will build it up, the other must tear it down!

I suspect, that this is why the Defence has asked for a "live" arrangement. They were cited as doing so for language issues, so that the Judge could be certain that CR understood exactly what he was pleading to. I think that language issues will be a major part of the Defense's "blocking case".

 

[agilbe]

And this translation issue will be key to any "Blocking Out" Diminished Capacity defence.

A previous up thread native Spanish speaker pointed out that there are phrases in Spanish that specifically refer to "the heat of passion" and associated foggy memory afterwards. (Maybe other native Mexican Spanish speakers can weigh in on this).

What is germaine, is how CR said "blocked out" in HIS native Spanish, and what that means in the common parlance and dialect of his adolescent and current community.

This is a cultural milieau issue. The exact same issue that I have previously said could be used as a grounds to overturn CR's Miranda and throw out any confession before he first saw an attorney. This as CR may have truly believed that he had no "right" to not tell the truth to the Federalies. (Becaue of the "rubber hose" he believed to be in the other room, no matter what Miranda assurances were given to the contrary.)

This cultural milieu issue will be important to both the defense and the prosecution. One will build it up, the other must tear it down!

I agree. I have done translation in a medical setting before. There are differences.

 

[Al Hoffman]

Trust me on this: We the people of the great state of Iowa are ***not*** all thrilled about our monies going to this! And CR's "constitutional right"? (If I write something here that upsets other WS readers, can I claim a black-out/block-out??!) JMOO

Ceratainky, "block out" all you feel a need to (before you take a hammer to your monitor - Hey, even Elvis shot his TV 'cause it pissed him off).

But, rest assured, that any money spent by The Great State of Iowa on CR's defence will be money well spent. It will assure that when they turn the key on his prison cell, he will be in the "Greybar Hotel" for the rest of his life.

Anyway, any monies spent on CR's defence will be paltry compared to those spent by the County, State AND Feds on LE, ME and AG investigation, evidence collection and prosecuatoral efforts. Why throw bad money after good, and ruin the job?

Look, if you are going to build a house with only the finest and most expensive of materials and craftsmen, why would you go on the cheap for the foundation or the paint and siding? It would not stand the test of time, or attack by the elements.

The exact same is true in the matter of CR's prosecution. When the key clicks on his first day in prison, his conviction needs to be final, his incarceration needs to be permanent.

The people of Iowa should be happy and proud to pay to have the job done right the first time, by their craftsmen. I seem to recall, from my time on the Iowa coast, that "measure twice, cut once" is also an Iowa credo.

 

[Jaclin]

Right. I've been on another thread but keep coming back to check in, and here we are discussing the earbud and block out story all over again like we did 15 threads ago. Someone mentioned the lawyers are reading WS. If they are, they have pretty good reason to think using the memory loss story might work. Jmo

but, according to the affadavit he did a u-turn and drove into the entrance of the cornfield BEFORE noticing the earbuds in his lap that = body in his trunk. Why would he be driving into the entrance of a cornfield before realizing there must be a body in his trunk? His story doesn't add up. He clearly must have known there was a body in his trunk before doing a u-turn and entering the cornfield.
If he said that he blacked out, came to at an intersection where he noticed the earbud on his lap, noticed his tire iron in the passenger side, pulled over puzzled, went to his trunk to put it back with his spare, noticed MT before freaking out, "Oh crap. What have I done? I have to hide this or I'll be deported,"and then did a u-turn back to the cornfield where he entered and dumped the body, it would make more sense. As it is, there is nothing that ties the earbud to the trunk outside of CRs logic. For the rest of the population Earbuds ≠ body in trunk. As it is, CR is claiming to have turned into the cornfield for no reason, since he didn't remember about the body until after he noticed the earbud in the driveway of the cornfield. As someone else said, without also seeing a tool or item that is normally kept in his trunk, it would have been more logical to drive back to the area where he remembered getting angry with MT to see if she might be hurt or in the ditch.

 

[TL4S]

but, according to the affadavit he did a u-turn and drove into the entrance of the cornfield BEFORE noticing the earbuds in his lap that = body in his trunk. Why would he be driving into the entrance of a cornfield before realizing there must be a body in his trunk? His story doesn't add up. He clearly must have known there was a body in his trunk before doing a u-turn and entering the cornfield.
If he said that he blacked out, came to at an intersection where he noticed the earbud on his lap, noticed his tire iron in the passenger side, pulled over puzzled, went to his trunk to put it back with his spare, noticed MT before freaking out, "Oh crap. What have I done? I have to hide this or I'll be deported,"and then did a u-turn back to the cornfield where he entered and dumped the body, it would make more sense. As it is, there is nothing that ties the earbud to the trunk outside of CRs logic. For the rest of the population Earbuds ≠ body in trunk. As it is, CR is claiming to have turned into the cornfield for no reason, since he didn't remember about the body until after he noticed the earbud in the driveway of the cornfield. As someone else said, without also seeing a tool or item that is normally kept in his trunk, it would have been more logical to drive back to the area where he remembered getting angry with MT to see if she might be hurt or in the ditch.

Exactly right. I've read and reread that affidavit trying to decide if it's possible he noticed the earbud at the intersection rather than once already parked in the cornfield. I don't know if the LEO intended it to read that way or not. And yes about seeing a tool or something that would link to the trunk! I bet LE left things out, but I also bet it was maddening to interview CR.

 

[PommyMommy]

but, according to the affadavit he did a u-turn and drove into the entrance of the cornfield BEFORE noticing the earbuds in his lap that = body in his trunk. Why would he be driving into the entrance of a cornfield before realizing there must be a body in his trunk? His story doesn't add up. He clearly must have known there was a body in his trunk before doing a u-turn and entering the cornfield.
If he said that he blacked out, came to at an intersection where he noticed the earbud on his lap, noticed his tire iron in the passenger side, pulled over puzzled, went to his trunk to put it back with his spare, noticed MT before freaking out, "Oh crap. What have I done? I have to hide this or I'll be deported,"and then did a u-turn back to the cornfield where he entered and dumped the body, it would make more sense. As it is, there is nothing that ties the earbud to the trunk outside of CRs logic. For the rest of the population Earbuds ≠ body in trunk. As it is, CR is claiming to have turned into the cornfield for no reason, since he didn't remember about the body until after he noticed the earbud in the driveway of the cornfield. As someone else said, without also seeing a tool or item that is normally kept in his trunk, it would have been more logical to drive back to the area where he remembered getting angry with MT to see if she might be hurt or in the ditch.

Uh oh, I must have missed something. Where did the tire iron information come from, if you don't mind?

ETA: Oops, nevermind - I read it again and see that you said, "If he said..." Sorry about that!

 

[Al Hoffman]

I agree. I have done translation in a medical setting before. There are differences.

So did my mom, a native Spanish speaker. She had once been a migrant farm worker herself, and only had a 6th grade education, as she had to work on the family farm, and was adopted for this purpose. She would translate for her Latino friends in New Orleans.

Once she even had to sit down with a Portuguese translating dictionary before going to court with a South American non-english speaker. (That really impressed me). She kept complaining that he didn't really speak Spanish. So yes, you are certainly correct.

Informally, and unpaid, she acted more like the other translator at CR's first hearing, the one talking between CR and his attorney.

 

[Al Hoffman]

Whoops I guess I should actually lock the thread right? LOL

That's just what the unfortunate fellow in Dallas said, just after the sleep deprived, exhausted LEO shot him in his apartment.

Please, ma'am , do you have a thread for this?

I have truly enjoyed my participation in the Mollie Tibbetts and Hurricane Florence threads.

This activity has actually helped my "depression"....

Thank you for all that you and yours do!

 

[Al Hoffman]

Delete post.

 

[gregjrichards]

adding that we don't know how water resistant her phone would have been, nor do we know how good the drainage is in that area. (if rain water will pool or is immediately drained)

Mollie had an iPhone 7 which is only water resistant in water up to 1 meter in depth for 30 minutes.

 

[Jaclin]

Mollie had an iPhone 7 which is only water resistant in water up to 1 meter in depth for 30 minutes.

so, I'm assuming rain wouldn't bother it much unless it pooled in the area the phone was lying.

 

[Al Hoffman]

I think living a lie could cloud some information even to the person that is living it.

Again, therein lies the rub. You are, of course, correct.

No client is ever perfect when they stagger through your practice door. Some are
MUCH less perfect than others. While you have to take them at their word, and as they come, there is a reason to have malpractice insurance (I understand that they even have it for Attorneys, and you can buy it at Pets R' Us next to the Shark Food isle).

In my case, it was a Nigerian who came in after an auto accident and who violently refused to let me photocopy his Driver's License. I kicked him to the curb, as Homey don't play that.

At the time, in the mid-90's, I was practicing (still working to get it right...one day) as a Chiropractor in Baton Rouge, La. The U.S. Postal Service and other Fed and local LE guys would later do raids in the Mall City "inner-city" neighborhood of BR ("ain't no pity in Mall City"), to break up groups of Nigerians working ID and credit card fraud.

Again, Homey Don't play that if he can possibly avoid it. I had enough problems to deal with, as it was, with Snake Farm PIs walking in as patients and trying to get me to document bogus medical diagnoses. This to later attempt to discredit me in court or have my licence to practice pulled before I could testify against Snake Farm as the treating physician. I kicked them to the curb too.

 

[Al Hoffman]

Mollie had an iPhone 7 which is only water resistant in water up to 1 meter in depth for 30 minutes.

That's good enough to stand up to just a good soaking rain. JMOO