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The legal team for the man suspected of killing a jogger have claimed there are "not enough facts" to prepare a defence at his murder trial.

Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 24, was charged with first-degree murder told police in Iowa, US, after telling where Mollie Tibbetts's body hidden under corn stalks.

The 20-year-old went missing on July 18 while out jogging in Brooklyn, Iowa.

After more than a month of searching, investigators found her body in a rural farm field on August 21.

(Image: REUTERS)

Now ABC13 reports Rivera's lawyers have filed a "Bill of Particulars" in which they state the prosecution failed to provide "guidance on the element of premeditation".

In Iowa, the crime has to be premeditated in order for someone to be charged with first-degree murder.

Rivera reportedly admitted to following Mollie while she was out jogging on July 18.

He also allegedly said he got out of the car and started to jog alongside her but "blacked out" when she threatened to call 911.

The farm worker claimed he then "woke up" inside his car which was parked at a rural intersection.

Mollie was in the boot of the car but he claims he has no recollection of how she got there.

(Image: REUTERS)

“The defendant cannot ascertain what acts he is charged with,” the motion read. “Without a bill of particulars, defendant cannot prepare his defense to the crime of murder in the 1st degree.”

The motion also says that details of the “method or how the defendant perpetrated the alleged offense” have not been included in the trial information and that the defense lawyers weren’t provided access to crime scene details or the lab results.

Authorities said Rivera admitted pursuing the 20-year-old jogger in his car on July 18, before parking, getting out of the vehicle and running after her.

He reportedly told investigators that the student grabbed her phone and threatened to call cops as he ran alongside her - and he then "panicked".

The suspect apparently told investigators he "came to" at an intersection, before realising he had put the jogger in his car boot and opening it up.

He found the University of Iowa student inside the boot with blood on the side of her head, according to the document, written by a sheriff's deputy.

He then allegedly dragged her out of the vehicle, into a cornfield, before carrying her deeper into the field over his shoulder and putting her down.

There, he covered her with corn stalks, the document adds.

Rivera, a reported undocumented immigrant who entered the country ilegally, worked at Yarrabee Farms for around four years, where he reportedly gave his employers fake identity documents under a different name.

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Officials said Rivera was not known to police and only came up on their radar when a local resident provided footage that showed his vehicle driving back and forth in the area where Mollie went jogging on July 18.

His lawyer Allan Richards told People magazine Rivera had “no prior criminal record.” He added: “He was just a part of the community. An all-American boy working really hard.

“He was a very productive worker.

“He lived alone and worked 12 hours [a] day, seven days a week. He was handling the milk supply. He is a loving father."

Rivera's girlfriend and young child attended his first court hearing in August.

The judge has yet to make a ruling on the latest motion. Rivera’s trial has been set for for April 16th, 2019.