Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 #8

[PommyMommy]

They do have a person of interest that they did not discuss today.

Is this your opinion or something you have read somewhere?

 

[gregjrichards]

During a news conference Tuesday at the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office in Montezuma, Kevin Winkler, assistant director of the Iowa Department of Public Safety, said investigators are continuing to follow up on all new leads they receive, but he declined to give specifics.

"We are not giving up on any possible leads and hope that we can find Mollie Tibbetts soon," he said.

Poweshiek County Sheriff Thomas Kriegel said "in excess of 200 leads have been followed up on." Those include ground, air and K-9 unit searches.

Mollie Tibbetts investigation: 'We are not giving up on any possible leads'

 

[zencompass]

I was surprised when he was thrown off by the question if the public should be concerned for their own safety.

Then he stated that since they do not know the reason behind Mollie's disappearance, this can't be known at this time for sure.

I got the feeling that they do not feel this is random and that she was somehow "targetted". Does anyone else feel this way after watching the press conference?

 

[ptandj]

I also found it off-putting how much time they spent patting themselves on the back.

RSBM. That was not how I interpreted that at all. Just look at how many people in this thread are already stating that they are incompetent and aren't doing enough, etc., etc. I took that as a reassurance that they are putting a ton of people and resources and expertise towards this.

 

[bellesnwhistles]

Let's review what more than a few of us have missed: this 30-year-old POI - link? Who is that? Missed it entirely.

See my post above. I think that guy was mistaken he has NEVER been id'ed as a POI in this case

 

[NewMama]

I think LE is tying up loose ends and will share their findings during Friday's conference. That's my gut feeling.

 

[MassGuy]

Well, thankfully we weren't expecting much if any new info, so we were prepared to get none. To me, the only way this PC makes sense is if they do have a good idea what has happened to her, is still alive and is trying to keep whomever does have her from panicking and hurting her until they can find them and free her. Otherwise, it was just to get the media to stop from constantly asking for details they refuse to give them. I personally think it's both.

This press conference makes sense because it keeps her name in the news, and the public focused on the case. Even if there is nothing new to say, no new information to reveal, the press conferences have a purpose. The more people that are made aware of this case, the better.

 

[sobryan]

Someone on HLN just said a 30 year old man was taking pictures of the route Mollie ran!!!??? Said it was on an earlier HLN interview. We'll have to find that.

Maybe the 30 year old man that was taking pictures of teenage joggers in Pella, IA about 1 hour away. He turned himself into authorities there. Possibly the same man, it was reported in a MSM yesterday I believe.

 

[Seattle1]

Apologies for any typos, some words/names are foreign to me!

Kevin Waker
Director of Operations for Public Safety

Tom Kriegle
Sheriff

Special Investigator In Charge
Randy Theisy

Hearts go out to Tibbetts family & Brooklyn community. We've appreciated their cooperation during a very difficult time.


TK
July 19 2018 20 yrs old MT was reported missing
Last seen July 18th at 19:30
Dark running shorts, sports top, running shoes

LE & volunteers have searched tirelessly-30-40 investigators, 200 leads, canines, ground, air
Working case aggressively
Contact established tiplines with any info
Dedicated tipline 800 452 1111 515 223 1400
tips@poweshiekcosheriff.com
£2,000 reward total
Thanks to media for getting the word out


RT
Very proud of law enforcement bro & sis - interviewing skills, tech skills, come together like been together 20 years
Amount of resources spent today & future, very proud.

KW
View the media as a partner, appreciate everything you're doing, sees her face on the news when he gets home.
LE countless hours to investigate.
Every available deputy.
DCI many agents & analysts dedicated across the state
FBI has dedicated agents
12+ agencies have dedicated time as have Fire & EMS & community members
Constant outpouring by community to feed & hydrate investigators

Leads come in, prioritise, follow up on.
Appreciate assistance.
Every investigative resource that team has asked for has been provided.
Not giving up on any leads

We do not plan to provide leads or findings to public at this time.
If we find something that will lead to Mollie we will follow up

Reported missing 19th Jul when not at work

Not identified reason for disappearance

Not ruled out any reason

If we do not confirm or deny anything = this does not mean that you can infer anything.

Public - use phone number/email address
Support the Tibbetts family.
Anything you can do in the community to help us find Mollie

Friday August 3rd - next press conference.

Media wants to talk to LE, but LE keeping investigators on investigation so will do regular briefings every few days.


Questions:
1. Timeline, how important is that?
We have a timeline we're confident in. It's important to us. Important for us to get to know Mollie, what's normal & what isn't. Understanding who was in the area of Brooklyn is important.

2. Where did she disappear from? On or after run?
We're not going to discuss this detail today. Is it something LE need to share with media or for investigative team to deal with? I'll leave it at that.

3. Status of data from FitBit?
Not discussing findings or conclusions. WE're looking at all tech as it relates to Mollie

4. Do you suspect an abduction?
We don't know where Mollie's at right now & not going to draw any conclusions. Not consistent with her past.

5. [unheard]

6. Snapchat. Sent at 10pm or opened at 10pm?
All findings, not talking about them. Best kept with investigative team. Respect that people want to know but our investigators know what's best for Mollie.

7. Any persons of interest?
Pursuing every lead available.

8. [unheard]
We don't have a / we can't tell you why Mollie is missing. Encourage everybody to take standard precautions. Everyone needs to be cognisant of surroundings. If you see something, say something. LE will go to sus activity calls, noises at night. It's what they're paid to do. Vested interested in people of Iowa.

9. Running down every lead. Bodies of water searched? Leads outside county or state>
Running down ALL leads. Kept at investigative team level.

10. Almost 2 weeks -are you still getting new leads/tops
Yes

11. Are you working off searches or tips?
Searches are prioritised as they come in. Investigators prioritising & re=prioritising leads as they come in

@Purplepixii - brilliant recap, thank you!

I believe the PC was just as I predicted earlier -- not to release details. It was a courtesy to the community, and with the promise to conduct additional PC's every few days, it will alleviate the burden on the family to respond to media/reporters.

 

[cass523]

Is that someone actively involved in the investigation? I find it hard to believe they would have details that the people in the investigation are refusing to release and would just share them nonchalantly like that.

James Gagliano

he is on now Watch HLN News Live Streaming | HLN Live Stream | LiveNewsOn

 

[Suglo]

I don’t think that was even happening in the same town.

More faulty reporting.

 

[ptandj]

Another thought--is he maybe not willing to answer the question of if she was last on her run or at home because the answer is neither? To go along with my last post, was a friend/acquaintance who does not live in Brooklyn meeting up with her that night? We know about the SC and the text to her mom, but that doesn't mean she also wasn't communicating with someone else via text or social media. Did an out-of-town friend message her that they were "randomly" in Brooklyn that night; did she want to grab coffee, food, whatever, and even offer to pick her up? Or she walked to meet them somewhere, so her last known place would have been somewhere in public that would give away to the suspect that they are on to that person? All of this is JMO. I never even considered another last place seen except the house or on a run, but it is possible.

Added one thought: Walking to meet someone for a casual cup of coffee or meal would also explain why the neighbor who saw her said she was walking nonchalantly as opposed to jogging.

I think this is a good theory and I hadn't thought about it that much but it would be an interesting rationale for some of the refusal to share information...

 

[gliving]

No, it was discussed on HLN Live, the channel I watched. After the PC with the investigator who was on the show following. I did not get his name. He mentioned the guy in the car taking pictures then said they have a person of interest but did not talk about it at the PC. Also, it may be someone she knows.

I'm so glad you heard this too cass523. I was like WHAT! He said a man in his 30s was seen taking pictures of the route Mollie ran. Maybe he's full of *advertiser censored* but it took my breath away.

 

[zencompass]

Is this your opinion or something you have read somewhere?

I'm wondering if they are referring to the individual who was taking photos of young women joggers.

Pella Police Say Man Accused of Photographing Jogging Teenagers Turned Himself In | KNIA / KRLS | The One to Count on

 

[Skagirl]

I took the statement of "We don't know why she is missing" to be that there wasn't any obvious stalking behavior found when they've look at her social media accounts or that there wasn't any discussions with friends of just taking off...

 

[leilarose68]

Based on what they've said I think LE believes whoever took her was very, very close to her. It was very personal and therefore there is no actual danger to the public which is why he scrambled his words so much/seemed to pause greatly before answering.

 

[Mommy2samjake]

Interesting facial expression after reporter asked about POI, and then followed up with, "That's not a 'no."

 

[Twistinginthewind]

N

Bet there won't be a shred of new evidence given.

Nope. Nothing. They said they won't discuss "case points" nor confirm or deny anything. They said they will start having press conferences every few days. Next one on Friday.

 

[usernameidk]

I feel like they don’t know. If they truly had indication that she was missing by choice, then they would back out and let her live her life as she sees fit, being she is an adult. I find the wording very strange to say they don’t know why she is missing. So weird

I expected NOTHING from that press conference and they STILL let me down.

That phrase bothered me, too. Did he mean they can't tell us because they honestly don't know, or do they know and they just can't tell us? Watching this was very frustrating!

 

[WildcatRunner]

What's the point of having the press conferences every few days if they are not going to share anything at them? We still don't even know for sure when they are thinking she disappeared.

Was not able to watch the presser, just following here. found the comment interesting that they are focusing on who Mollie is. Are they leaning more towards voluntary missing?

I am sure they are having press conferences because media, and crazies, from across the nation are calling endlessly for updates. They are trying to stop those calls by saying, "We'll talk to you all at prescheduled times, so stop calling us."