Hispanic Immigrant Accused Of Murdering College Student Mollie Tibbetts

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

An undocumented immigrant is in custody for the murder of 20-year-old college student Mollie Tibbetts, whose body was found dead Tuesday morning Tuesday morning in a cornfield in Guernsey, Iowa, about a 15-minute drive from the Brooklyn town, where she was last seen alive. Its body was covered in corn stalks.

Cristhian Rivera, 24, was charged Tuesday in Poweshiek County after being taken without incident, according to local police.

After being arrested, investigators spoke at length to him about what happened on July 18, when he allegedly kidnapped Tibbetts, and revealed what he said during a press conference in the afternoon.

Rick Rahn, special agent in charge of the Iowa Criminal Investigation Division, told reporters that federal officials were able to confirm Rivera's status as an undocumented immigrant after he was taken into custody on Monday.

According to officers, Rivera told police that he saw the young woman running, circled her car a few times, and eventually approached her.

He ran after Tibbetts and accidentally scared her, causing the 20-year-old to panic, authorities said.

Rivera told police that he later passed out and did not come to his senses until Tibbetts was already dead, at the intersection of rural Poweshiek County, where investigators found her body.

Investigators said they obtained the surveillance video last week and immediately began working to find Rivera.

"We were able to trace [his car] and the routes he took," Rahn explained. "He was one of the last to see Mollie running."

Rivera is currently employed, although officials declined to say what he works for. Rivera has been charged with first-degree murder.