Man Arrested in Mollie Tibbetts Murder

KingstonsMom · ‎03-09-2010

**Edited from Daily Mail article, due to political references**:

Christhian Rivera, 24, was charged with first degree murder on Tuesday after leading police to a corn field where Mollie's body was dumped.

Dane Lang, co-owner of Yarrabee Farms along with Eric Lang, confirmed that Rivera had worked there for four years and was an employee 'of good standing.'

Investigators say Rivera followed Mollie in his dark Chevy Malibu as she went for a run around 7.30pm on July 18.

He 'blacked out' and attacked her after she threatened to call the police unless he left her alone, officers said.

Rivera was identified by surveillance footage obtained in the last couple of weeks from someone's home.

It showed him following the student in his car and Mollie running ahead of him. It is not yet clear how Mollie died.

Mollie's autopsy is planned for Wednesday but the results may not be released for weeks.

Rivera told police that after seeing her, he pulled over and parked his car to get out and run with her.

Mollie grabbed her phone and threatened to call the police before running off ahead.

The suspect said that made him 'panic' and he chased after her.

That's when he 'blacked out.'

He claims he remembers nothing from then until he was back in his car, driving.

He then noticed one of her earphones sitting on his lap and blood in the car then remembered he'd stuffed her in the truck.

Rivera drove her then to a corn field where he hauled her body out of the truck and hid her beneath corn stalks.

He was arrested on Friday after police honed in on his vehicle by viewing surveillance footage obtained from a private resident's home surveillance cameras.

'He followed her and seemed to be drawn to her on that particular day. For whatever reason he chose to abduct her,' Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation special agent Rick Ryan said on Tuesday afternoon.

But it's still unclear what the motive behind the killing was, Rahn said.

Rivera told police he had seen her in the area before. She is friends on Facebook with the mother of his daughter but it is not clear if he and Mollie knew each other.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.

NicksmomESQ · ‎08-19-2014

I hope this sick demented creep rots in jail!! Mollie was a beautiful young woman with a bright future .My heart ❤️ goes out to her family.I can’t imagine their pain.

ID2 · ‎06-25-2012

Terrible, terrible outcome! I really thought she was going to be found alive. Very sad.

"Pure Michigan"

LTT1 · ‎03-09-2010

@KingstonsMom @ID2 @NicksmomESQ

Picture

~Have a Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit~

Goldengate8361 · ‎01-27-2014

Any murder is terrible. I sincerely hope that it isn’t politicized. Mollie deserves better.

chiclet · ‎03-19-2010

Just unbearable thinking about this case and I don't even know her. So horrible for family and friends.

OKPrincess · ‎03-10-2013

He blacked out?

I feel so sorry for Mollie’s family. Even though the guy was arrested, she’s still gone.

nun ya · ‎03-09-2010

I wonder once they get his DNA if this is his only crime.

Such a scary world, she didn't deserve any of this.

Isobel Archer · ‎04-04-2015

@NicksmomESQ wrote:
I hope this sick demented creep rots in jail!! Mollie was a beautiful young woman with a bright future .My heart ❤️ goes out to her family.I can’t imagine their pain.

In our jail - after we pay for the trial, we can then pay for his incarceration. But could we deport him - oh noooooooo. That would be hateful - or something.

Also love how the press has now fixated on his "blackout."