Kim Reynolds emotional when describing conversation with Mollie Tibbetts' mother

Barbara Rodriguez | The Des Moines Register

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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' voice cracked Friday as she described her conversation with Mollie Tibbetts' mother earlier this week.

The reaction came after Reynolds was asked during a brief interview with reporters in Des Moines whether she expects Tibbetts’ family to speak out politically about the 20-year-old’s death.

The question made the Republican governor sentimental as she detailed her conversation with Laura Calderwood.

"I was talking to a mom who just found out that her daughter had been murdered. And up until that point, you know, they were hoping that they were going to bring Mollie back home," she said.

"I talked to her as a mother and just really said that there weren’t even words to express my sadness for her," Reynolds added. "So that’s all we talked about. I talked to her as a mom. And as somebody that was trying to relate to her that a state was grieving for her and their loss.”

Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 24, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Tibbetts, a University of Iowa student whose body was found this week in rural Poweshiek County. She had been missing for more than a month.

The Iowa State Medical Examiner said Thursday that Tibbetts died after suffering "multiple sharp force injuries."

Rivera, a Mexican immigrant who worked for Yarrabee Farms' cattle operation in Poweshiek County, made his first court appearance Wednesday. The farm's manager said Rivera, who officials say was in the U.S. illegally, provided a different name and false identification before he started work.

Rivera's attorney has said his client was legally eligible to work in Iowa.

Rivera's immigration status has caused political fervor to erupt.