Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #46

[Al Hoffman]

Curious how a person with a 5th-6th grade level of schooling could find his way here from Mexico with a cousin, get fake ID’s, work on a farm for years, drive a car illegally, father a child and commit murder!

Just as curious as antebellum slaves with no formal education at all, who escaped and made their way to freedom and new lives in the North by way of the Underground Railroad, and other means. Who also had to be aware of Southern bounty hunters who would snatch and grab and take runaway slaves back to the South.

The same type of informal (sometimes crimal) network exists today for illegal immigrants to the US from as far South as Central and South America (not just Mexico).

Where there is a will, there is a way!

 

[The Farm]

Curious how a person with a 5th-6th grade level of schooling could find his way here from Mexico with a cousin, get fake ID’s, work on a farm for years, drive a car illegally, father a child and commit murder!

What is really bad is that he is one of a zillion. Sorry do not have an exact number but it is up there, most are living incognito like CR so a correct number I would think would be near impossible.

 

[MistyWaters]

Curious how a person with a 5th-6th grade level of schooling could find his way here from Mexico with a cousin, get fake ID’s, work on a farm for years, drive a car illegally, father a child and commit murder!

Murder aside, imagine to a young person the lure of making a minimum of $7 or more per hour as opposed to $4.70 an entire day. No doubt there’s a huge blackmarket industry in assisting illegal border crossings. Maybe that’s what the “car payment” was for, a lifetime debt obligation to those who transported him.

Mexico to raise minimum wage...to $4.70 a day

 

[Al Hoffman]

This is probably a really dumb question, but when I let google translate "en la escuela de la vida" into English, it basically says "the school of life." Is he meaning that what he's learned he's learned simply from living life?

Otherwise known as the school of hard knocks...

 

[TL4S]

Otherwise known as the school of hard knocks...

Yes! Do you think that's what he was saying? Because I think a 5th or 6th grade education does not necessarily equate to inability. In fact, I think CR probably had to grow up fast.

 

[Confusion]

If he was born in 1997 and came here 7-8 years ago, it would make sense that he hadn't had much schooling. I think that sometimes people forget that uneducated and unintelligent don't always mean the same thing. I believe that in a lot of places, kids that age are expected to be helping to support the family rather than going to school; if you're unlikely to go through college and get a high paying job from it, schooling may seem like a waste of time to a lot of families. MOO

 

[otto]

Honestly I do not know if we will ever know the real truth behind CR.
What we DO know is that he killed a young enterprising young American woman with her whole life ahead of her and he is an illegal citizen. THAT we know for sure.

I think you're right, but something about portraying a cunning murderer as a simpleton doesn't sit well with me. My sense is that his lawyers are already laying the groundwork to create a facade of Rivera as a gentle, happy, kind, simpleton who doesn't speak English, and who was victimized when Mollie made him mad and triggered an episode of automatism.

In reality, I suspect he dropped out of grade 10 to illegally immigrate to Iowa, that he accosted Mollie in Brooklyn and, when coercion didn't work, he resorted to violence East of Brooklyn. I think he lay in wait at Boundary and Middle Str, that it was always his intention to abduct her, and that he had pre-planned where he was assault and murder her. I think his automatism defense is rather brilliant for someone with a 5th grade education.

 

[kpm]

I think you're right, but something about portraying a cunning murderer as a simpleton doesn't sit well with me. My sense is that his lawyers are already laying the groundwork to create a facade of Rivera as a gentle, happy, kind, simpleton who doesn't speak English, and who was victimized when Mollie made him mad and triggered an episode of automatism.

In reality, I suspect he dropped out of grade 10 to illegally immigrate to Iowa, that he accosted Mollie in Brooklyn and, when coercion didn't work, he resorted to violence East of Brooklyn. I think he lay in wait at Boundary and Middle Str, that it was always his intention to abduct her, and that he had pre-planned where he was assault and murder her. I think his automatism defense is rather brilliant for someone with a 5th grade education.

Spot on!

 

[Deleted member 718]

Mon., September 17, 2018
Man charged in stabbing death of Mollie Tibbetts to be arraigned Wednesday
A trial date also will be set


"MONTEZUMA — The man charged in the fatal stabbing of Mollie Tibbetts will be arraigned Wednesday in Poweshiek County District Court.

Prosecutors filed the trial information and minutes of testimony last week, so it’s likely that Cristhian Bahena Rivera 24, will file a written not guilty plea and not make a court appearance Wednesday. A trial date also will be set.

Chad Frese, Rivera's lawyer, didn't immediately return a phone message left Monday."

Man charged in stabbing death of Mollie Tibbetts to be arraigned Wednesday

This is different than what was reported earlier. Last week his attorneys requested the arraignment be held in open court:

"Defense attorney Chad Frese told the Des Moines Register Friday that he requested that the arraignment be conducted in open court.

"Since this is a class A felony for a homicide, I want it to be on the record so there’s no confusion whatsoever," Frese told the paper. "Because his education is about a fifth- or sixth-grade education in the country of Mexico."

Mollie Tibbetts' accused killer faces arraignment Wednesday in Iowa court

 

[kpm]

Mon., September 17, 2018
Man charged in stabbing death of Mollie Tibbetts to be arraigned Wednesday
A trial date also will be set


"MONTEZUMA — The man charged in the fatal stabbing of Mollie Tibbetts will be arraigned Wednesday in Poweshiek County District Court.

Prosecutors filed the trial information and minutes of testimony last week, so it’s likely that Cristhian Bahena Rivera 24, will file a written not guilty plea and not make a court appearance Wednesday. A trial date also will be set.

Chad Frese, Rivera's lawyer, didn't immediately return a phone message left Monday."

Man charged in stabbing death of Mollie Tibbetts to be arraigned Wednesday

This is different than what was reported earlier. Last week his attorneys requested the arraignment be held in open court:

"Defense attorney Chad Frese told the Des Moines Register Friday that he requested that the arraignment be conducted in open court.

"Since this is a class A felony for a homicide, I want it to be on the record so there’s no confusion whatsoever," Frese told the paper. "Because his education is about a fifth- or sixth-grade education in the country of Mexico."

Mollie Tibbetts' accused killer faces arraignment Wednesday in Iowa court

Not guilty plea.....wow

 

[Ragnarok]

Curious how a person with a 5th-6th grade level of schooling could find his way here from Mexico with a cousin, get fake ID’s, work on a farm for years, drive a car illegally, father a child and commit murder!

When I worked 13 years construction (laborer short time, foreman majority) I had a 50% plus Mexican national work group. Most of them had our equivalent of a grade school education. One did have a Mexican University Engineering degree. He was here for practical experience and saving money to start his own business in Mexico.

The majority of them were quick learners and hard workers. Spent down time teaching fractional math and English language differences (as has, there their, to to two, etc) differences and meaning. Some tried unsuccessfully to teach me Spanish.

Caught on quickly and I would never judge someones intelligence based on grade level education. They have a very good understanding of our laws and a strong support network among themselves.

Have thought about looking a couple of them up and hearing what they think of the CBR case.

 

[agilbe]

Murder aside, imagine to a young person the lure of making a minimum of $7 or more per hour as opposed to $4.70 an entire day. No doubt there’s a huge blackmarket industry in assisting illegal border crossings. Maybe that’s what the “car payment” was for, a lifetime debt obligation to those who transported him.

Mexico to raise minimum wage...to $4.70 a day

And that "car payment" isn't cheap. Sometimes as much as $3000-$4000. I have never understood how they can pay that.

 

[kpm]

When I worked 13 years construction (laborer short time, foreman majority) I had a 50% plus Mexican national work group. Most of them had our equivalent of a grade school education. One did have a Mexican University Engineering degree. He was here for practical experience and saving money to start his own business in Mexico.

The majority of them were quick learners and hard workers. Spent down time teaching fractional math and English language differences (as has, there their, to to two, etc) differences and meaning. Some tried unsuccessfully to teach me Spanish.

Caught on quickly and I would never judge someones intelligence based on grade level education. They have a very good understanding of our laws and a strong support network among themselves.

Have thought about looking a couple of them up and hearing what they think of the CBR case.

I posted that because his lawyers want us to think he’s a simpleton, not because I think he is.

IMO, he’s street smart and has no problem understanding his actions

 

[The Farm]

Not guilty plea.....wow

Wow is right...

 

[The Farm]

And that "car payment" isn't cheap. Sometimes as much as $3000-$4000. I have never understood how they can pay that.

Do we even know how much he made a year at Yarrabee?
They don't always get minimum wage but still on the low end of the pay scale.

 

[otto]

Not guilty plea.....wow

According to what he told police, he is absolutely not guilty. He had contact with Mollie in Brooklyn, she made him mad, and he lost time until he was at the cornfield. His defense is that he acted without conscious intent, therefore he is not responsible.

 

[kpm]

And that "car payment" isn't cheap. Sometimes as much as $3000-$4000. I have never understood how they can pay that.

According to his affidavit he didn’t even pay child support

He didn’t have to pay for housing either

His only debt was the car he possibly drove illegally to murder of MT

 

[kpm]

According to what he told police, he is absolutely not guilty. He had contact with Mollie in Brooklyn, she made him mad, and he lost time until he was at the cornfield. His defense is that he acted without conscious intent, therefore he is not responsible.

Right

Just SMH in disgust!

 

[Kensie]

Wow on the not guilty. So is he saying he had temporary insanity??

 

[rebel123]

I think you're right, but something about portraying a cunning murderer as a simpleton doesn't sit well with me. My sense is that his lawyers are already laying the groundwork to create a facade of Rivera as a gentle, happy, kind, simpleton who doesn't speak English, and who was victimized when Mollie made him mad and triggered an episode of automatism.

In reality, I suspect he dropped out of grade 10 to illegally immigrate to Iowa, that he accosted Mollie in Brooklyn and, when coercion didn't work, he resorted to violence East of Brooklyn. I think he lay in wait at Boundary and Middle Str, that it was always his intention to abduct her, and that he had pre-planned where he was assault and murder her. I think his automatism defense is rather brilliant for someone with a 5th grade education.

That is there job; they will do whatever it takes to help their clients circumstances; we might not like it but they have a duty to do that.