TRAGIC

Man Charged With First-Degree Murder in Death of Mollie Tibbetts

Cristhian Bahena Rivera, a 24-year-old undocumented immigrant, has been arrested and charged.

A 24-year-old living in the U.S. illegally has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Mollie Tibbets, Iowa DCI Special Agent Rick Rahn announced in a Tuesday press conference. According to The Des Moines Register, Cristhian Bahena Rivera allegedly led investigators to a body in a field that’s believed to be Tibbetts. Rahn said that on July 18 Rivera followed Tibbetts and “circled around” her before he “interfaced with her at 385th Street” in Brooklyn, Iowa, where she’d been out jogging. While Rahn said he “can’t speak about motive,” he said that Rivera had seen her before and was “drawn to her on that particular day.” “For whatever reason he chose to abduct her,” Rhan said. He added that Rivera had lived in the rural Poweshiek County for “four to seven years,” and was employed but mostly “kept to himself.” Rhan also confirmed that Rivera was an undocumented immigrant. Earlier, The Washington Post reported that the suspect in custody was subject to an federal immigration detainer, which is an indication that the suspect in custody was in the United States illegally.