IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #39

[Jaclin]

Question. Why didn't he flee to Mexico? He could have said his father was sick and he had to go if he needed an excuse to get out of town. One that would not cast suspicion on him.

They had no idea it was a Hispanic Farm Worker so I don't think his absence would have made headlines.

we don't know that he really left Mexico to come here for work. Maybe there was another driving force that encouraged him to leave Mexico. It might be the same driving force that would discourage him from wanting to go back.

 

[TL4S]

I don’t ever recall reading that the vehicle was stopped a few weeks earlier. Maybe this is what you’re thinking of?

“.....Police said Tuesday that the Malibu, which was caught on surveillence footage in Brooklyn, Iowa, was driving back and forth in the area where Tibbetts, a 20-year-old University of Iowa student, was running in the "late afternoon hours of July 18," the day she went missing.

"We were able to, first of all, see what we believed to have been Mollie running on one of the streets," Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation special agent Rick Rahn told Fox News. "From that, we started to look into all the vehicles that were also captured on video and eventually identified the vehicle that was driven by Mr. Rivera."

The surveillance footage in which the Malibu was seen was not able to capture the vehicle's license plates, but there were "unusual markings" on the car which helped lead investigators track it down, Rahn told said.
Mollie Tibbetts investigation: Chevy Malibu seen in surveillance video not registered to suspect Rivera, source says

I remembered seeing that, too, about the officer being familiar with the car because he'd pulled it over a few weeks prior. I haven't seen anything about it since, and in a video posted on this site LE said they finally canvassed the town until they saw the Malibu in a driveway.I'm going with the latter.

 

[zencompass]

Would the "unusual markings" on the car be damage to the front right of the car ?


Mollie Tibbetts investigation: Chevy Malibu seen in surveillance video not registered to suspect Rivera, source says

 

[Confusion]

(his sister went to high school with Mollie)

I'm sorry, but I must have missed that. I have missed quite a few things over the past few days. Do you have a link to a source saying that his sister had gone to school with MT? I thought his aunt and uncle were his only family in the US. TIA

 

[cluciano63]

I may be grossly outnumbered but I still acknowledge the fact that once caught, he told L.e where Mollie was without further delay. And clearly not for anything in return, as the charges sound like they will be as strong as possible.

Not saying he deserves any breaks...just wish some of the many spouse killers over the years would do the same... convicted and otherwise. This country is littered with bodies yet to be discovered...as the “Missing but not Forgotten” forum reminds us.

 

[Gardenista]

Rivera’s Change in Legal Representation Likely a Strategic Move According to Legal Experts

The husband and wife team work for separate law firms in Marshalltown. This is the first case they've worked on together but not the first time they have worked with a member of Rivera's family.

 

[TL4S]

Would the "unusual markings" on the car be damage to the front right of the car?

My thoughts, as well. However, I did hear or read that LE said, "distinctive chrome" or something like that. Sorry, though, no link, so I guess MOO.

 

[MistyWaters]

I remembered seeing that, too, about the officer being familiar with the car because he'd pulled it over a few weeks prior. I haven't seen anything about it since, and in a video posted on this site LE said they finally canvassed the town until they saw the Malibu in a driveway.I'm going with the latter.

I’ve tried and google is unable to find any reference to a prior arrest. To the contrary, it’s as if LE didn’t have any clue this guy even existed until they started seeking out the Chevy Malibu. However it’s possible the arrest story was an earlier misreporting and was quickly edited out.

 

[SteveP]

I'm sorry, but I must have missed that. I have missed quite a few things over the past few days. Do you have a link to a source saying that his sister had gone to school with MT? I thought his aunt and uncle were his only family in the US. TIA

I believe the OP misspoke, and meant that his gf went to high school with Mollie. JMO

 

[Jealoushe]

Apart from the fact that LE observed the dark Chevy on the video a number of times on the day Mollie disappeared and in proximity to Mollie, what do we know about how they narrowed it down to CR driving the vehicle? He wasn’t the only one allowed to drive the vehicle, was he? Was the video good enough to be able to recognize him??

I’m certainly not doubting for one second that he’s the one that killed Mollie!!

He admitted it.

We still do not know who exactly the vehicle belonged to and LE was not able to see clearly who was driving it or the plate in the video. But the car had certain specific things on it that an officer recognized in the video as a vehicle that he had stopped a few weeks earlier. For what we do not know that yet either.

Was it confirmed he was pulled over prior? I thought that was just a rumour.

 

[MistyWaters]

My thoughts, as well. However, I did hear or read that LE said, "distinctive chrome" or something like that. Sorry, though, no link, so I guess MOO.

Yes, that’s what was stated.

 

[Confusion]

@SteveP Thanks. I did know that, but thought I might have missed something somewhat important.

 

[Sanz]

My thoughts, as well. However, I did hear or read that LE said, "distinctive chrome" or something like that. Sorry, though, no link, so I guess MOO.

Exactly. Without that front end damage it looks like every random Malibu that runs around.

 

[TL4S]

snipped...but thought I might have missed something somewhat important.

This is how I feel most the time.

 

[MistyWaters]

The husband and wife team work for separate law firms in Marshalltown. This is the first case they've worked on together but not the first time they have worked with a member of Rivera's family.

That could account for a disputed speeding ticket.

 

[Jealoushe]

we don't know that he really left Mexico to come here for work. Maybe there was another driving force that encouraged him to leave Mexico. It might be the same driving force that would discourage him from wanting to go back.

Yes good point!

Would the "unusual markings" on the car be damage to the front right of the car ?


Mollie Tibbetts investigation: Chevy Malibu seen in surveillance video not registered to suspect Rivera, source says

If you are thinking he hit Mollie and that’s the damage, it wouldn’t have been there when he was following her.

 

[TL4S]

Exactly. Without that front end damage it looks like every random Malibu that runs around.

I'm thinking it's the chrome door handles, and maybe the chrome around the license plates?

 

[MistyWaters]

Exactly. Without that front end damage it looks like every random Malibu that runs around.

It’s not an established fact the front end is damaged. Between the placement of the headlight and the reflections on the black colour, it’s possible it only appears that way in the photo.

Earlier someone here pointed out that Chevy Malibu’s door handles typically are not chrome.

 

[Deleted member 227095]

As a woman myself, I think this was very well written. I’d just like to add, I believe the choices I’ve made in these same senarios has definitely changed with becoming older and wiser.

Completely agree with the original post. Well said.

 

[CheetosDust]

I was one who saw shame, but it’s not the shame of what he actually did, but what he has realized in the interim. He has been living in a small town where for the past five weeks the whole town has been Mollie Tibbetts all day long. He saw her face everywhere (no wonder he stopped going to Casey’s) Not only that but this small town suddenly had the attention of the nation and world. I’m sure he saw media coverage and what people were speculating about him. He saw Mollie’s strong father, strong family and how much love they had for Mollie. So his shame was realizing how hated he is by people all over the world. Part of it may be cultural and religious too. Part of it I speculate is that he raped her and maybe after she was dead. To me, he had the look of “Everyone hates me now and I hope they never hear what I really did” I’m guessing some component of narcissistic personality disorder in his diagnosis. Narcissists know when they’ve done wrong and HATE to be exposed. This is the shame I saw in his face. Basically he’s sorry he got caught.