IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #37

[Jennifermn]

While I own guns and and mostly comfortable with shooting them, I have not tried to obtain a CCW permit and probably won't. I have children and prefer the guns remain locked up. Statistically, one of my children is more likely to gain access to said gun and hurt themselves or someone else. It's probably more likely an attacker would get it from me before I shot it as well. I'd like to think I'd shoot someone trying to hurt me but who knows if I'd hesitate. Fear, adrenaline, actually killing someone - it could all go awry. Just my own personal preference.

I did order some pepper spray this week. I go walking alone with my GSD. I think he's a good deterrent but I have been thinking a lot about MT lately when I take my dog on walks.

 

[otto]

The same thing happened with the Zimmerman case but he received a fair trial. It's pretty powerful when a popular president claims a victim could be his son. So a politician's opinion really doesn't seem to influence juries. Most jurers take jury duty very seriously.

Which senior politicians declared Zimmerman guilty when he was arrested?

 

[Jealoushe]

I am curious how they identified him based on the vehicle when he had no license according to the news stories? the registration/license had to be tied to him somehow?

I believe they either saw him driving it or it was at his house.

 

[MyBelle]

<modsnip: snipped quote that was removed>
We also have the FBI return to CR's house with a search warrant AFTER Iowa LE released it. We haven't seen the search but imo, a federal judge signed it, not a state one.

 

[Al Hoffman]

I looked up the circumstances where kidnapping becomes a federal crime. There are 6 situations.

For reference:

1034. Kidnapping—Federal Jurisdiction

If MT were held for any period of time, it does not appear that it would meet the criteria to charge CR with a Federal crime.

When I started this discussion, I was opining about the possibility of a Federal death penalty case to put pressure on CR if necessary; also as a reason for anti-death penalty money to fund a legal dream team for CR.

At the time of this crime, CR was already involved in several ongoing Federal crimes, including identity theft and payroll fraud among others, which may have allowed him to have access to the vehicle that he used in the commission of the crime. Though it might involve linkage and some bootstrapping, I still think that the Feds could bring a Federal charge (or several) against CR, including Murder which could invoke the death penalty, if they wanted to. If it looks like CR could walk because LE blew the Miranda, or for some other unlikely reason, I would be very curious to see what the Feds might do

When Louisiana could not convict the NOPD Algiers' 7 for executing several men (and other mayhem back in the 80's), the Fed's did it in Houston, on civil rights violation charges, for them. The Feds can get real creative with filing charges if they feel a need to do so.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

But there is no option to go easier on him, there has to be something that he perceived as beneficial to him. He didn’t just do the right thing to make it easier on everybody else.

I wondered about this also, what "go easier on him" options could be. How about (grasping at straws):
1) LE told him if he was cooperative and showed them where the body was, he wouldn't be considered highly 'dangerous' or 'violent' when time for prison so he could live in GP instead of maximum security setting?
2) LE told him they had proof he was the one (he had followed her and was involved in her disappearance), and if he showed them where she was, they would just charge him with murder (life sentence with no parole as the maximum punishment), and would not load up on him with stalking, kidnapping, laying in wait, or other charges that may bump him to the federal level that would carry harsher punishments?
3) LE told him to do the right thing for closure for her family and everyone in his community, and that since he said he had "blacked" or "blocked" out his memory of how she died, it didn't matter what happened, that would all be settled in a court of law down the road, and they already knew approximately where she may be, just show us exactly or you're going to get fed to the wolves (public free for all) if we have to release you because we don't know where she is and you won't tell us?

 

[TL4S]

I'd say probably nothing
It could have simply been HOW she said no to him.

I've even told my own wife over the years not to be too harsh in situations like that.

If you run into the wrong guy (like this guy) and say something like 'don't talk to me you weirdo freak', you might potentially set them off.

Absolutely no blame on MT, of course. Only she knows what felt right in the moment. But I wonder if it wasn't a blow to his ego the way she responded, and being unstable in whatever capacity he naturally was, he snapped. And it just got darker and darker from there until he had nothing left to do but to hide her body.

There is a part of me that feels I must at least consider the possibility CR is telling the truth. (Remember I'm trying to be open minded...)

Maybe by the time LE approached him, he was relieved and ready to talk (too scared to turn himself in voluntarily). Maybe LE encouraged him to give her poor family some peace and they managed to reach that ounce of humanity he had left.

Maybe wishful thinking...

 

[cody22]

We also have the FBI return to CR's house with a search warrant AFTER Iowa LE released it. We haven't seen the search but imo, a federal judge signed it, not a state one.

Possible Federal Firearms violations by a Mexican National to be filed in the future ?

 

[otto]

Around his 16th birthday, Rivera left Guayabillo to find work in the United States, his father said.

“There are no jobs here, so he left,” Bahena said, adding that his son crossed the border illegally and was undocumented in the United States.

He settled in Iowa because his uncle was already living there, Bahena said. He found work on a series of milk farms and often sent money back to his parents in Mexico.

Suspect’s relatives say they’re baffled by arrest in Mollie Tibbetts case

Other members of Rivera’s family attended his first appearance in court on Wednesday, including an aunt and uncle that live in a neighboring town, Rivera’s three-year-old daughter and the child’s mother, according to Eustaquio “Capi” Bahena Radilla.

I'm very curious about where the suspect was living when he first arrived in Iowa, and whether this is the uncle he lived with when he arrived.

 

[TL4S]

Around his 16th birthday, Rivera left Guayabillo to find work in the United States, his father said.

“There are no jobs here, so he left,” Bahena said, adding that his son crossed the border illegally and was undocumented in the United States.

He settled in Iowa because his uncle was already living there, Bahena said. He found work on a series of milk farms and often sent money back to his parents in Mexico.

Suspect’s relatives say they’re baffled by arrest in Mollie Tibbetts case

Other members of Rivera’s family attended his first appearance in court on Wednesday, including an aunt and uncle that live in a neighboring town, Rivera’s three-year-old daughter and the child’s mother, according to Eustaquio “Capi” Bahena Radilla.

I'd really like to know what town his uncle lived in.

Edit: I didn't mean to copy your thoughts, @otto! Same line of thinking, perhaps...

 

[Hatfield]

I remember reading on here that a local LE Officer viewing the tapes, remembered the car from a previous ticket encounter, and that helped lead them to his identity. I do not remember if there was a link provided.

It would be interesting if we could find out what the ticket was for. If it was him driving and if ticket was for driving without a license then it makes you wonder why the car was not impounded and why was he allowed to continue to drive it.

We wont know unless MSM or public record can be found out what the ticket was for and who was driving.

Would also be interesting if he even had car insurance. Most states require car insurance for liability reasons.

 

[MassGuy]

Possible Federal Firearms violations by a Mexican National to be filed in the future ?

Do we know if he had any firearms?

 

[cody22]

It would be interesting if we could find out what the ticket was for. If it was him driving and if ticket was for driving without a license then it makes you wonder why the car was not impounded and why was he allowed to continue to drive it.

We wont know unless MSM or public record can be found out what the ticket was for and who was driving.

Would also be interesting if he even had car insurance. Most states require car insurance for liability reasons.

It would also be interesting if that car was owned by his employer, Yarrabee Farms, for employees use.

 

[MyBelle]

Possible Federal Firearms violations by a Mexican National to be filed in the future ?

Firearms are one of the crimes the Feds investigate and prosecute. That house could be a stop-over in an underground network of some kind.

 

[cody22]

Do we know if he had any firearms?

Nope.

 

[TL4S]

It would also be interesting if that car was owned by his employer, Yarrabee Farms, for employees use.

Or his uncles.

 

[oviedo]

I remember reading on here that a local LE Officer viewing the tapes, remembered the car from a previous ticket encounter, and that helped lead them to his identity. I do not remember if there was a link provided.

Now that makes sense!! Thank you

 

[HelpingHeart]

This article has sweet pics of Mollie growing up. Let’s try to remember her as the happy girl she was

Photos: Mollie Tibbetts growing up

 

[otto]

I'd really like to know what town his uncle lived in.

Edit: I didn't mean to copy your thoughts, otto! Same line of thinking, perhaps...

Definitely same line of thinking - that it would be very unusual that this is the first time he has interfered with women. If the suspect lived in a place like, for example, Blairstown, that opens the possibility that there are related crimes in the surrounding areas.

 

[duster1979]

Hi MassGuy....Well, there goes my future post wondering about his dog.

You think his dog's in a drug-dealing sex gang?