Undocumented immigrant charged with murder in killing of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts

Show Caption Hide Caption Immigrant charged with murder of Iowa woman, Mollie Tibbetts Police say a man in the country illegally has been charged with murder in the death of Iowa college student Mollie Tibbetts. (Aug. 21)

GUERNSEY, Iowa – An undocumented immigrant told police that he killed University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts in a moment of panic after she attempted to call for help on her cell phone, court papers show.

Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 24, a Mexican national who has lived in Iowa for at least four years, is being held on a first-degree murder charge in the brazen attack, officials said Tuesday. Tibbetts vanished July 18 while out for an evening jog.

The federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency released a statement saying that it had “lodged a detainer” with the Poweshiek County sheriff’s office to hold Rivera.

Court papers say that Rivera led investigators early Tuesday to the body of Tibbetts, 20, who disappeared while running in her hometown of 1,400 about 70 miles east of Des Moines. The ensuing month-long search for her was widely followed in national news reports.

Body of missing Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts believed to be found Officials are determining if a body found in rural Iowa is that of Mollie Tibbetts, the 20-year-old University of Iowa student who went missing July 18.

Rick Rahn, special agent in charge at the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, said Rivera's motive for the alleged attack remains unclear.

"He seemed to be drawn to her that particular day and for whatever reason, he chose to abduct her," Rahn said.

On the day of the attack, Rivera noticed Tibbetts jogging and briefly followed her in his black Chevy Malibu, a criminal complaint says.

Rivera told detectives he got out of his car and started "running behind her and alongside her," according to the criminal complaint. Tibbetts then grabbed her phone and told him she was going to call the police.

At that point, Rivera "got mad" and panicked and blocked his memory, which is what happens when "he gets very upset," according to the criminal complaint. Rivera told investigators he doesn't remember anything after that until he arrived at an intersection.

He said he made a U-Turn, drove to an entrance of a field, pulled into a driveway and rode up to a cornfield, court papers said. He then realized her had earpieces in his lap, which made him realize that Tibbetts was in the trunk, according to the criminal complaint.

Rivera told officials he pulled Tibbetts out of the trunk and found blood on the side of her head, the complaint says. He dragged Tibbetts on foot from his vehicle to a secluded location in the cornfield, according to the complaint.

He told officials he then put her over his shoulder and took her 20 meters into the cornfield where he covered her with some cornstalks and left her face up.

Police found her body on rural property 10 miles from her hometown of Brooklyn.

Mitch Mortvedt, assistant director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, said investigators were working to formally identify the remains. Fox News, citing Tibbetts' father, said the sophomore's body had been found.

“It never crossed our mind that she wouldn’t come home safe,” Brooklyn city clerk Sheri Sharer said. Greg Willey, vice president of Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa, said the discovery appeared to provide a "tough" ending to the search.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says residents are heartbroken and angered by the news.

In a statement, Reynolds noted that “thousands of Iowans searched and prayed for Mollie’s safe return.” She blamed a “broken immigration system” and promised to “bring justice to Mollie’s killer.”

President Donald Trump called the nation’s immigration laws “a disgrace” that need to be overhauled.

Trump asked his audience at a rally Tuesday in Charleston, West Virginia, whether they had heard about the “illegal alien” from Mexico. “You saw what happened to that incredible, beautiful young woman," Trump said to the crowd. "Should have never happened.”

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A medical examiner's vehicle and several large SUVs passed through a blockade set up near the scene here. Media trucks and reporters lined up near an orange Iowa Department of Transportation truck that blocked access.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a no-fly restriction over the area until 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Only Iowa State Patrol aircraft are allowed to fly.

Tibbetts was watching dogs at the Brooklyn home of her boyfriend, who was out of town, and his brother when authorities say they believe she went for a run alone. She was last seen around 7:30 p.m. local time. Later that evening, Tibbetts' boyfriend, Dalton Jack, said he opened a Snapchat message from Tibbetts with a photo that made it appear she was indoors.

The next morning, co-workers called Jack when Tibbetts did not show up for work at a Grinnell daycare. That prompted the massive hunt that has been underway ever since. FBI, state and local law enforcement agencies have been working around the clock pursuing more than 1,500 tips in their efforts to find the sophomore psychology major.

Tibbetts was scheduled to begin her sophomore year at the University of Iowa this week. As part of her curriculum, Mollie has been trained to assist battered women and men, her father Rob says.

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Rob Tibbetts had returned to his California home last weekend after authorities counseled friends and family to return to their normal lives. Vice President Mike Pence met with family members last week, promising the full support of federal law enforcement and telling them that Mollie was "on the hearts of every American."

A reward fund for information leading to her safe return had grown to more than $400,000, Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa said. Authorities have said foul play was possible. Mortvedt declined to discuss possible suspects, saying only that no charges had been filed "at this time."

Willey said the money will be used for information that helps authorities track down anyone who might have been responsible for her death.

“Once they catch their breath, this will turn into a weapon going the other direction, to catch the person who did it,” Willey said of the fund.

Contributing: John Bacon and The Associated Press