Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #34

[MsBetsy]

I don't even believe that. Sounds like something he found after he thought he'd cleaned up all the evidence and it freaked him out.

Right, or he knew they might find it out there and thinks it will back up his story.

 

[cluciano63]

Jmo, thinking more about it...LE and everyone are very lucky that someone had the relevant video in this smalltown, where people probably did not feel especially vulnerable. It’s not like the UK or a city, where you can usually count on CCTV. Scary how easily he might have gotten away with this. I doubt his housemates knew. I doubt he was gone more than two hours at most.

I always though she’d be relatively near, within 20 or so miles of home and that a local person could have easily been the perp, home by 10pm. And that only he knew. I hoped but did not count on video. And I knew from the last PC she never made it back from her run. I only stress this at all because LE basically said so at that PC...ruling out the “homework and the late-sent Snapchat. ” Jmo when LE does tell us something...it is because they need help.

What LE got wrong is that the community WAS in danger as the perp not known to Mollie in any significant way, apparently. And this guy, seemingly, was not called in as a tip by anyone as a known nuisance or threat to women or others. The video found him...not a tip, not people telling what they know (no one knows in these cases except the perp).

All jmo...all I really mean to say is listening to police and what they do release and ask for help with answers a lot of questions. All jmo obviously.

 

[PaulR]

Dear PaulR,

I have found some of the profiles created by the F.B.I. agents astonishingly accurate in many cases.

From crime scenes they are usually accurate as well in determining whether the perpetrator is an "organized offender" or a "disorganized" offender.

I find this and forensic psychology interesting.

Just my opinion.

NCJRS Abstract - National Criminal Justice Reference Service

Oh, that wasn't intended to be a slam on profilers. I've read Douglas/Ressler/Hazelwood, what they can do sometimes is absolute magic to me. It's another tool in our toolbox.

 

[qotus]

We all need to keep in mind that LE has had this video for a while now. They have probably had other videos too. It takes time to review all of that and piece together what is being seen. Not to mention trying analyze her phone and Fitbit info and seeing how it aligns with the camera footage. I'm sure it took a while to figure out she'd been on Boundary and Middle Streets, then track down who had cameras in that area. Camera footage is often poor quality and hard to make out at a distance. The owner of the camera would have had it angled to film his house/business, not pointing directly at the street to capture great footage of passersby. The section of video they needed was probably just a few seconds for her to run by, maybe a little longer to see who drove by around that same time.

After seeing the car, they only had a description of what it looked like, not who owned it or who was driving and probably no license plate. I believe they released the points map because that same car had been seen in those areas and they were trying to narrow down who it was either by witnesses, cameras or learning the drivers patterns.

I've followed many different cases over the years. When LE talks too much, too early, it can damage the case and they may never be able to solve it. That happened with two cases not far from where I live (Tristan Buddy Meyers and Brittany Locklear). Those cases have never been solved.

LE did a great job on this case. I sure wish the outcome would have been different.

 

[Daae]

Why was there an earpiece from her headphones on his lap? He says that reminded him that she was in the trunk. IMO there was a physical altercation inside the car. It doesn't add up.

 

[Seattle1]

Friends in Bay Area devastated after body found in search for University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts

Tuesday, August 21, 2018 12:05PM
PIEDMONT, Calif. (KGO) --
A body found in rural Iowa is feared to be that of missing college student Mollie Tibbetts. Here's what friends, who knew the family from their time in the East Bay, had to say about the stunning discovery.

"You know, our family is heartbroken, really heartbroken for the family," said family friend Linda Safir, who had to tell her now college-aged daughter Libby that a body was discovered in connection with the search for her childhood friend.

Safir had just found a picture of the girls over the weekend in their first communion dresses. She was hoping the discovery of the picture was a sign that Mollie was OK.
Bay Area friends devastated after body found in search for Mollie Tibbetts

 

[PaulR]

Why was there an earpiece from her headphones on his lap? He says that reminded him that she was in the trunk. IMO there was a physical altercation inside the car. It doesn't add up.

I think it's safe to say that everything from "he jumped out of the car and ran at her" until "I covered her with corn stalks" is a damned lie.

 

[MsBetsy]

His story doesnt make sense. If he struck her dead after she threatened to call the police wouldnt it make more sense for him to have just left her there/dragged her off the road and just driven away? Its far more likely he knocked her out, took her to the corn fields to sexually assault her and then cover up her body.

It doesn't make sense because he's lying. I would be willing to bet when he has his psych eval. It will reveal he has Anti - Personality Disorder.

 

[boomburger]

Why was there an earpiece from her headphones on his lap? He says that reminded him that she was in the trunk. IMO there was a physical altercation inside the car. It doesn't add up.

He could have punched her in the side of the head and one of the rubber things that go into the ears got lodged between his knuckles? And then fell onto his lap when he put his hands onto his steering wheel. That is assuming he's telling the truth, which he probably isnt.

 

[geevee]

How exactly did police obtain the video? Did the people realize there might be evidence and call in a tip? And, why did they wait so long? Maybe they didn't think to view it at first?

Wouldn't they have been in the northerly red dot area? Possibly they called in as LE asked everyone to in those areas and were asked or mentioned they had security cameras.

 

[Elainera]

I wonder what prompted this video a month later?

In the arrest warrant it is said they got the video shortly after she went missing. It took time to id him as the person who used the car that night because it likely wasn't registered to him.

 

[MassGuy]

Oh, that wasn't intended to be a slam on profilers. I've read Douglas/Ressler/Hazelwood, what they can do sometimes is absolute magic to me. It's another tool in our toolbox.

OT but those are some of my favorite books. I’ve read every book that’s available on Kindle. An absolute must read for anyone who wants to understand serial killers and lust killers in general.

 

[SharonNeedles]

Lol. You was there.

I remember when you told the poster that I think he means Migrant workers.

Lol. Good memory.

I only remember that because we actually have a much higher Hispanic immigrant population in rural Iowa than people realize. Not all are legal and the census numbers get skewed in low population areas where only this segment gets severely under reported. Immigrants? Yeah, we’ve got tons of them. Migrants? None that I know of.

 

[dove28]

A couple things I don't understand:
1) why did they call of the search early? we thought maybe it was because they had evidence she was alive, but this was clearly not the case
2) why did they say the public was in no danger? again, knowing what we know now the public clearly could have been in danger
3) why was the FBI called in? doesn't look like they were dealing with a serial murderer, and they didn't know they were dealing with an undocumented immigrant until yesterday

Also, if I recall correctly, they were able to establish sexual assault in the Hannah Graham case even after finding her body after a month. I believe they did it using traces of semen on her clothes and other personal belonging. Horrible to think about.

 

[dlharris2712]

Jmo, thinking more about it...LE and everyone are very lucky that someone had the relevant video in this smalltown, where people probably did not feel especially vulnerable. It’s not like the UK or a city, where you can usually count on CCTV. Scary how easily he might have gotten away with this. I doubt his housemates knew. I doubt he was gone more than two hours at most.

I always though she’d be relatively near, within 20 or so miles of home and that a local person could have easily been the perp, home by 10pm. And that only he knew. I hoped but did not count on video. And I knew from the last PC she never made it back from her run. I only stress this at all because LE basically said so at that PC...ruling out the “homework and the late-sent Snapchat. ” Jmo when LE does tell us something...it is because they need help.

What LE got wrong is that the community WAS in danger as the perp not known to Mollie in any significant way, apparently. And this guy, seemingly, was not called in as a tip by anyone as a known nuisance or threat to women or others. The video found him...not a tip, not people telling what they know (no one knows in these cases except the perp).

All jmo...all I really mean to say is listening to police and what they do release and ask for help with answers a lot of questions. All jmo obviously.

Thank you for the comment about the community being in danger...I was getting ready to type the same thing. Jmo

 

[GhostGhost]

Wait a sec- He said he talked to Mollie right? And she threatened to call police but he needs a translator- please make me understand this

If she saw him coming, she would’ve snapped a picture.

If he admits to laying in wait, jumping / tackling her, then he admits to the premeditation and motivation.

In my opinion, she never saw him coming.

.

 

[Jaclin]

Right but we are not worried about that we are concerned about Mollies killer, and that Mollie and her family get JUSTICE.

Regarding hiring of illegal immigrants, I'm worried about it because I think it's possible criminal negligence or more has occurred which contributed this particular person being in Mollie's community, but I agree that it is a separate issue and there are plenty of pedigreed Americans that have done and probably are doing just as bad.

 

[cluciano63]

I do wonder how much info the autopsy will yield though, after five weeks outdoors. I hope cause of death can be determined as well as any other assaults. It is not a given that they will be able to say for sure how she died or if she was sexually assaulted...

 

[MsBetsy]

Why was there an earpiece from her headphones on his lap? He says that reminded him that she was in the trunk. IMO there was a physical altercation inside the car. It doesn't add up.

There may very well have been. Hopefully every detail will come out eventually.

 

[cluciano63]

In the arrest warrant it is said they got the video shortly after she went missing. It took time to id him as the person who used the car that night because it likely wasn't registered to him.

But did they say when they watched it and saw the car? I thought it was within the past week.