The district judge put a hold on court proceedings in the murder trial of Mollie Tibbetts on Wednesday until the Supreme Court decides on the suppression of evidence.Attorneys for Cristhian Bahena Rivera requested to delay the murder trial Tuesday while the Iowa Supreme Court reviews their request to suppress evidence.Bahena Rivera has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Tibbetts, who was found deceased in 2018.The district judge had previously approved to suppress partial evidence in Bahena Rivera's trial, but Rivera's attorneys have asked the Iowa Supreme Court to review the judge's decision.In their filing, the attorneys said they need more time to speak with the state's witnesses and investigate new blood and fingerprint evidence.The filing claims that a lab report given to the defense Jan. 3 showed investigators found fingerprints from an unidentified person in the trunk of the car that "could not come from Cristhian Bahena Rivera."Prosecutors immediately responded, asking the judge not to the delay the trial. They would not go into detail, but said they disagreed with how the defense characterized the evidence -- arguing certain claims in their filing are outright false.The trial was originally scheduled to begin Feb. 4, but a new trial date has not been set.

The district judge put a hold on court proceedings in the murder trial of Mollie Tibbetts on Wednesday until the Supreme Court decides on the suppression of evidence.

Attorneys for Cristhian Bahena Rivera requested to delay the murder trial Tuesday while the Iowa Supreme Court reviews their request to suppress evidence.


Bahena Rivera has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Tibbetts, who was found deceased in 2018.

The district judge had previously approved to suppress partial evidence in Bahena Rivera's trial, but Rivera's attorneys have asked the Iowa Supreme Court to review the judge's decision.

In their filing, the attorneys said they need more time to speak with the state's witnesses and investigate new blood and fingerprint evidence.

The filing claims that a lab report given to the defense Jan. 3 showed investigators found fingerprints from an unidentified person in the trunk of the car that "could not come from Cristhian Bahena Rivera."

Prosecutors immediately responded, asking the judge not to the delay the trial. They would not go into detail, but said they disagreed with how the defense characterized the evidence -- arguing certain claims in their filing are outright false.

The trial was originally scheduled to begin Feb. 4, but a new trial date has not been set.