IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #42

[kpm]

Sorry I'm harping on this affidavit, but it's important to me to understand it.

CR's story stops at him getting angry on 385th and blocking his memories. Once he's come to he's near the cornfield, it's not specified whether she was alive or not. But at the end of the affidavit it states about the location "as that where he placed the body." IMO, that sounds like he was saying she was already dead. Unless they know from digital data that she was alive AFTER they left the 385th location, they would probably put 385th on the affidavit because that was the last place CR can say with any certainty she was still alive?

That’s what I think

Since he blocked it out, we only have his statement that she was going to call 911 on 385th

They also has his phone, he may have pulled up the map at 8:28, so many variables to the timeframe

Again, I go back to this too....

Authorities have not revealed when, exactly, Tibbetts was killed.

Mortvedt tells PEOPLE that he can’t discuss whether or not she was held for any period of time after being taken.


Cops Wonder: If Mollie Tibbetts' Accused Killer Has No Record — Who Jumps to Murder That Fast?

 

[MsBetsy]

It is very possible that he used a prepaid phone card type program or burner phone, neither of which, unless I am wrong, requires ID. Since the car he was driving was not registered to him, I doubt he would be able to pass a credit check required by many cell phone companies before getting a phone contract, unless he paid a substantial deposit. Also, it is very possible that, like the car, his phone may have been in someone else's name as well. And I have also known people who joined together on a "family plan", although they were not family, each having a separate line, and they split the monthly bill. JMO

True, maybe he had a phone under his aunt or uncle's name

 

[kpm]

I think they said found "with" the body. I never heard "placed near the body", rather that it would appear impossible to determine whether she was wearing them or not when she died.

Right, I was paraphrasing, I should have gone back to look....

It says.....


The clothing found at the scene where the body was located


http://media.graytvinc.com/documents/082118+DCI+Arrest.pdf

 

[kpm]

The autopsy report will be released to the family if they request it in writing; other then that it will only be released to LE for their investigation.

Right, I’m thinking during the trial phase, it won’t be released to the public

 

[MsBetsy]

Sorry I'm harping on this affidavit, but it's important to me to understand it.

CR's story stops at him getting angry on 385th and blocking his memories. Once he's come to he's near the cornfield, it's not specified whether she was alive or not. But at the end of the affidavit it states about the location "as that where he placed the body." IMO, that sounds like he was saying she was already dead. Unless they know from digital data that she was alive AFTER they left the 385th location, they would probably put 385th on the affidavit because that was the last place CR can say with any certainty she was still alive?

Exactly. That's why I am sticking by my interpretation that the 7:45 - 8:28 timeline is not just some event that occurred, but more likely reflects the beginning and end of one assault.

 

[rebel123]

Posted by kpm

'It’s confusing to us because we can’t see all the details, we are trying to piece it together

Fitbit data is sketchy at best and is new to them

Numerous things could have occurred with it that would invalidate the data it collected

Maybe it was broken in a scuffle at 8:28 or taken off?

Only her clothes were reported in the warrant, were the other things there or missing?

They pulled him into questioning on the 20th and the warrant was drafted the 21st, they have hours of statements from him he don’t even know about.'
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This is so true.

 

[SharonNeedles]

I was wondering if that gate was closed (we don't know if it was locked during the crime), he would have had to park there and get her over/through/around that gate, too.

It would be really uncommon for the gate to be closed unless there are cattle around. Most field entrances around here don’t even have gates and many fields don’t even have fences.

 

[mickey2942]

Why do we take the word of a killer to have any validity at all?

"I blacked out". That is a statement that has zero interest to me. He would say anything to create doubt.

This guy has probably been murdering his way around the midwest for years.

 

[zecats]

I don't know how flat that drive into the field is, because the Malibu might not have made it very far. My bets are on the gate being closed.

Good point. Malibu is not exactly equivalent to a four-wheel drive vehicle.

 

[DizzyB]

For me, the time frame in the affidavit is based on concrete evidence that could be presented-video footage time stamped on either end, along with CR’s own taped interview that related where he was before and after, with Mollie’s murder in between. Sure, the Fitbit data may be part of the time frame, but I think, based on what I saw last time Fitbit evidence was used in a court case, it would not be a lynchpin at this time. They can use it at trial.

 

[zecats]

It would be really uncommon for the gate to be closed unless there are cattle around. Most field entrances around here don’t even have gates and many fields don’t even have fences.

It was closed in the video the DesMoines Register video tape to show “Mollie’s last run.” That’s the first time I noticed a gate at all.

 

[MsBetsy]

That’s what I think

Since he blocked it out, we only have his statement that she was going to call 911 on 385th

They also has his phone, he may have pulled up the map at 8:28, so many variables to the timeframe

Again, I go back to this too....

Authorities have not revealed when, exactly, Tibbetts was killed.

Mortvedt tells PEOPLE that he can’t discuss whether or not she was held for any period of time after being taken.


Cops Wonder: If Mollie Tibbetts' Accused Killer Has No Record — Who Jumps to Murder That Fast?

Although they must have an approximate time, I'm sure it would not have taken long depending on type of wounds. I believe it was a body that he carried into the cornfield. I think the attack, if it occurred in that location, would have been on that secluded dirt road going into the cornfield. When he describes dragging, then carrying her, I think it was after she was already dead and he wanted a better place to hide the body. jmo

 

[rebel123]

Right, I’m thinking during the trial phase, it won’t be released to the public

That's correct; I suspect the family could release the report if they wanted to; provided that they get it authorized by LE as there is an ongoing investigation.

 

[Peaches96]

Why did the judge state that he may have to register as a sex offender ?

Because if they find during the autopsy that he sexually assaulted her, he will need to be on the registry. Which won’t really matter because he will likely be doing life in prison if found guilty of murder. But, if by some weird fluke he gets out in 20 years he will be on the sex offender registry so police can keep better tabs on him. So, he would have a parole officer and then a separate officer that works the sex offender registry.

 

[MsBetsy]

I’m thinking if the gate was open or unlocked, he would have driven in a bit farther rather than carry her. True?

I think he did drive in before he carried her into the field itself. Why walk all the way up when you can just drive to that spot where he eventually walked in?

 

[kpm]

Although they must have an approximate time, I'm sure it would not have taken long depending on type of wounds. I believe it was a body that he carried into the cornfield. I think the attack, if it occurred in that location, would have been on that secluded dirt road going into the cornfield. When he describes dragging, then carrying her, I think it was after she was already dead and he wanted a better place to hide the body. jmo

I do think there are two scenes at the cornfield....

The warrant says....

The defendant further described during the interview that he dragged Tibbetts on foot from his vehicle to a secluded location in the cornfield

Rivera described he put her over his shoulder and took her 20 meters into the cornfield

ETA: He basically admitted to police she was dead when he checked the trunk, that may or may not be true

 

[Jaclin]

Right, some event happened at 7:45 and another at 8:28

In the box “Is date and time of incident know” they wrote NO

They have probable cause to believe based on his admissions and statements that something occurred at those times, what it is we don’t know yet

8:28 could be video of the car leave town or her Fitbit stopping, we just don’t know

I think the 7:45 was most likely the time that MT was observed jogging on camera. 8:28 I am not sure about. If she was tracking her run, that might have been the time her run tracker said her run ended. Or, maybe the malibu was seen on camera returning at that time indicating that what ever happened must have occurred between those times, but if MT was in the trunk, they couldn't know that he wasn't still driving around looking for a place to dump her body. So, I like my theory about her run ending at 8:28 better.

 

[MsBetsy]

Why do we take the word of a killer to have any validity at all?

"I blacked out". That is a statement that has zero interest to me. He would say anything to create doubt.

This guy has probably been murdering his way around the midwest for years.

Maybe! I don't think there is anyone here who believes his story, they are just using it as a point of reference to certain details.

 

[kpm]

Maybe! I don't think there is anyone here who believes his story, they are just using it as a point of reference to certain details.

About the only thing I believe is where he placed her body and how he covered her up.

The rest his him trying to save his butt

 

[SharonNeedles]

It was closed in the video the DesMoines Register video tape to show “Mollie’s last run.” That’s the first time I noticed a gate at all.

Now there would be a reason to close and lock it. Prior to Mollie’s body being discovered there I doubt there would have been a reason.