Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 #17

[zecats]

Thanks! Been a member for a while but never comment. This case had my interest.

Same for me. I followed many cases for 4 years plus on here without commenting. This case made me want to participate. And in doing so, I’ve discovered what an amazing group of sleuthing minds working together can do. Kudos to all the thoughtful, sensible and insightful Sherlocks, Poirots and Nancy Drews etc out there.

 

[PaulR]

Interesting question. There were a number of people that had some very detailed fitbit tech specs a few threads back that might be interesting to you. My recollection about the fitbit was that it is sync'd to a specfic phone (MT in this case) via bluetooth. I think what I recall from the thread that if the connection to the phone is lost then the fitbit has the capability to still capture information but that it wouldn't be transmitted to the phone until the bluetooth connection is reestablished or the device is sync'd on a computer. The gist of what I remember is that the fitbit communicates with the phone it is sync'd to only and doesn't communicate with other phones that might be in the area. Wonder if a fitbit can be hijacked or hacked? I don't know but it would be interesting to know how secure the technology is for the device.

I am not a tech person, but I wonder if the reason DoD is shutting these things down for people in the field is because these devices are effectively sending out bluetooth signals. So, I would think that someone someplace has the ability to track and possibly visualize all these bluetooth signals to then figure out how many personnel are in any given area.

Bluetooth range is pretty short. I think I know why the Pentagon would be concerned about a lot of fitness tracker usage though. For another reason entirely.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

I always wondered why they made such a point to clear the brothers, BF and BF brother but never cleared BF fiance? Maybe it happened and I never read it but I kept looking for it but never saw it anyplace. Does anyone have info on this?[/QUOTE/]
Sorry, it's been asked many times, but the fiance of Mollie's bf's brother is considered under the umbrella of "family" so can not be sleuthed here. This thread has been shut down several times for questions/discussion on people who have been cleared / are not POIs or suspects. See First page of this thread - WS does not allow us to sleuth or question any family or associated people - that means the whole 'constellation" of people related to Mollie, her family, or bf's family.

 

[Amonet]

Pentagon restricts use of fitness trackers, other electronic devices that reveal locations

This article is somewhat tangential, but that's how my brain works (hence my moniker), so please bear with me here a minute. there are one or two points that interested me relative to MT's case...snipped and bolded excerpts below from linked article:

U.S. military troops and other defense personnel at sensitive bases or certain high-risk war zone areas won't be allowed to use features on fitness trackers or cellphone applications that can reveal their location, according to a new Pentagon order.

It adds, "These geolocation capabilities can expose personal information, locations, routines, and numbers of DoD personnel, and potentially create unintended security consequences and increased risk to the joint force and mission."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm a Luddite, so it's hard for me to even intelligently frame the question, but for those tech-savvy sleuthers participating here on MT's thread, assuming the FBI has been able to gather solid data re: MT's phone/Fitbit locations, movements, etc., at the time of her disappearance, would they also be able to determine how many/what other devices were in the same location as hers up until the time her devices were turned off/died?

I don't know if anyone has already responded to this, and I can only speak to the first part. There was some concern a year or so back about service people uploading fitbit data to websites on the internet that show the jogging/walking routes of anyone who uploads the data to the site. There was concern that it was kind of 'advertising' the jogging locations/routes of a lot of military personnel. I think that is what the article is referring to as opposed to something in the fitbit itself.

 

[PommyMommy]

who is WC?

Iowan With Multiple Stalking Charges Admits To Police Questioning in Search For Mollie Tibbetts

 

[Twistinginthewind]

Okay so many people in here have mention that CW nephew knows MT brother...where are you getting that info?? I havent read anything that talks about his nephew. Please share the link

We're not allowed to talk about anyone in Mollie's family, her bf's family, or WC's family. See WS owner post in first page of this thread. There is no link that can be shared on WS.

 

[Momma2cam]

I thought the same thing. She seems a little too smart to be taking pics of herself in a lacy bra and posting on social media. The pics of her sticking her tongue out or ones in her underwear are so “off”. They just don’t fit in. It seems like those would be the type of pics posts a young teen would do not thinking about the impact it has being seen by the world, not a 20 year old psych major.

This is very much typical 20 year old posting, IMO. She has completed one year of college. She has probably taken one intro psych class. I'm unclear how that would have any impact on what typical young adults post. JMO.

 

[Goe]

We're not allowed to talk about anyone in Mollie's family, her bf's family, or WC's family. See WS owner post in first page of this thread. There is no link that can be shared on WS.

Ohhhhh okay thank you

 

[wary]

A reminder to everyone--don't quote posts that you think violate the ToS. Just makes it harder for the moderators, and increases the likelihood of the thread getting shut down.

 

[Jim G]

Come home, Mollie

 

[Deleted member 718]

My heart goes out to Mollie’s Mum, Dad and family.

It is tragic what happened to Sadie Alvarado (Sadie is the lady whose remains were found and we thought she could have been Mollie) May she Rest In Peace.

I saw some tweets lamenting that Sadie case is only known as the dead girl that wasn't Mollie Tibbetts. It's so very sad for her family.

 

[MillyM]

Delete

 

[Twistinginthewind]

I don't know if anyone has already responded to this, and I can only speak to the first part. There was some concern a year or so back about service people uploading fitbit data to websites on the internet that show the jogging/walking routes of anyone who uploads the data to the site. There was concern that it was kind of 'advertising' the jogging locations/routes of a lot of military personnel. I think that is what the article is referring to as opposed to something in the fitbit itself.

Wow, thanks for this, had no idea before now that fitbit data could be accessed on their website by non-owners of the device!

 

[Ilovemy3boys]

Missing Iowa student’s family makes emotional plea for her return

 

[PommyMommy]

It was Medina who was only one visible in clip I posted above. Your link is not either not available in UK or taken down now, so can't see!

Well, darn. I'm not familiar with what you have access to there so I don't know if this one will be helpful either, but worth a try: Watch Live: News conference regarding the Mollie Tibbets search

 

[Deleted member 718]

Isn't this the second time a presser has been rescheduled? Seems one went from Thursday to Monday.

 

[Amonet]

Wow, thanks for this, had no idea before now that fitbit data could be accessed on their website by non-owners of the device!

I don't use a fitbit but my understanding is that the user chooses to upload the data to a website, not that it happens automatically without the user's knowledge.

 

[gregjrichards]

Same for me. I followed many cases for 4 years plus on here without commenting. This case made me want to participate. And in doing so, I’ve discovered what an amazing group of sleuthing minds working together can do. Kudos to all the thoughtful, sensible and insightful Sherlocks, Poirots and Nancy Drews etc out there.

Thank you for joining the discussion it is great to have all the new and existing members here posting and caring about Mollie. Websleuths is a unique and special online community and I’m proud and pleased to be part of it.

 

[PaulR]

I don't use a fitbit but my understanding is that the user chooses to upload the data to a website, not that it happens automatically without the user's knowledge.

Right, you can share Fitbit data. I can go on a hike and post a map of the trail I took, if I like.

 

[MesquiteO21]

Has MT Instagram bio always said “Its a great day to be alive”? I just visited it for the first time and it made my stomach turn. Sorry if this has already been addressed.

I can’t believe we are on thread 17

there was also something on her VSCO about how life is short... :\