Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 #15

[SteveP]

I understand the frustration of following this case, day after day, with little (none) information coming out from LE in these press conferences. One thing we have to remember, LE will only ask for the public's help if and when they need it, and they will only ask for what they need. As much as we here want to think otherwise, for us, this is a 'hobby', for lack of a better word. We all are armchair investigators. Can we be helpful? Absolutely. Can we sometimes help solve a case? Absolutely. Do I think LE often follows this website when working a case? Absolutely! But bottom line is, they are the professionals. They are well-trained in what they do, and the vast majority of them are very good at what they do. For you newbies here, and we were all newbies here at one time, be patient and stay active here. If this case bogs down, there are far too many others here that need you. This case will have its slow times, and its times when you cannot possibly keep up. It is the nature of the beast, so hang in there!

 

[HBOKim]

Guessing LE believes the suspect is somebody close to or known by Mollie. No danger to the public and an isolated incident. JMO

With that theory, WC (the hog farmer) is ruled out. Perhaps they feel he is more of a witness then a POI.

 

[TPeeFitz]

Why even have a PC if they're not going to give out any information or answer any questions because it might compromise their investigation?

It isn't necessary to have a PC just to tell the public they continue to receive tips, are following up on all leads, and thanking all the agencies involved.

The reason could be that the pressers have little to do with the “general public”. Could be a very targeted audience and might play into a psychological strategy.

 

[MargeGunderson]

How else are they going to keep it in the public eye?,

I guess to me they aren’t acting like they care if it’s in the public eye. They aren’t telling anyone anything. They aren’t making pleas for information. The family is but LE is not. Many here have expressed the feeling that this means they have what they need and aren’t looking for help. They just need time to put the case together. If that’s true they don’t seem to need it in the public eye. If it’s not true and they are having PCs to keep it in the public eye so they can get more tips, it seems to me the PC should include for than ‘we are working hard’. I do believe they are working hard. Until Mollie’s mom did the interview that shared info the police hadn’t shared I was of the opinion that LE was closing in. Now I’m not as sure. If they aren’t closing in then I think they should evaluate the status quo. It isn’t achieving the desired result so it might be time to try something else.
Also, I’ve seen posts implying that claiming LE has few clues is the same as implying they aren’t working hard. I think that couldn’t be further from the truth. I have no doubt they are working themselves sick. That doesn’t mean they have the clues they need or even enough to suspect someone. I hope they have a POI. I hope it’s all starting to come together. I’m just less optimistic that is the case than I was last week.
It also seems to me that it may be past time to get decent tips from the public. At least anyone who saw something that might seem like nothing but in retrospect is something. Regular people who have those kinds of tips have already shared them. I think the black SUV is the kind of tip you get now. I doubt this woman made up what she saw. I just don’t think she saw what she thinks she saw. I’m sure everyone in that area is wracking their memories to come up with something, anything that could help. So your memory plays tricks. Suddenly a car driving by late at night becomes a circling SUV. It’s not a lie. It’s just a subconscious exaggeration in an attempt to help. I think after 3 weeks the useful tips will be from someone who has actual knowledge of a crime or someone who suspects someone they know of a crime. If the PCs are supposed to jar loose that kind of tip I think they need a different approach. Does that mean releasing info? I don’t know but the status quo isn’t working.

 

[Msshell28]

I couldn't agree more zxz! I see this happening time and again in disappearances/murders that are never solved. The time to get the pertinent information out is from the beginning while it is still fresh in someone's mind.
Thinking of Abby and Libby , Kyron Horman, etc;
The public needs the basics! IMO.

I followed the story about Abby and Libby and I’ll never understand why even now, a year out and LE has not released anymore info.

 

[Portabella]

Unfortunately with no input from law enforcement we are only left to speculate with no basis for fact. That is why I am checking in daily to see if there is an arrest or if she is found. Nothing else can be done at our end with absolutely nothing to sleuth....Again my thoughts are with her, her family and friends during this devastating time. IMHO (I will continue to check back daily with hope)

 

[Veracity]

Regarding the black SUV, I'm wondering if this person spotted Mollie during her jog, took note of the house she returned to, and then came back and abducted her. However, it doesn't explain why it would be circling the neighborhood for so long. If she was abducted from her home, wouldn't the SUV be seen driving away quickly? Very strange.

How about this - they were circling to case the Electric Co-Op and Mollie happened to walk out her door at the wrong moment. (I read somewhere back in one of our many threads the security cameras there were broken - that sure was coincidental wasn't it?) Read here the cause was a lightning strike.

Wonder who knew both - Mollie alone + Cameras out at Co-Op?

Wonder how long they were out?

 

[Twinny]

I'm working under the assumption that LE definitely has a POI and possibly could charge them now but without the possessions MT had on her (Fitbit, cell, armband) or a body if she is in fact deceased, it makes the case entirely circumstantial. The worst thing to happen is fire their proverbial gun too soon and the perp walks or gets convicted of something much lesser than they should and gets out of prison. It's also much tougher to convict someone of murder without a body since defense can of course claim there's no evidence that person is actually deceased. Way more frustrating up front but in the end is worth it.

On the other hand, if MT is alive and being held, until LE would know precisely where she is and be ready to make a move, it can pay to keep the pot simmering but not crank up the heat. Last thing you'd want to do is make the person or people who have her jumpy and prone to do something stupid to eliminate evidence.

Totally agree! LE knows what theyre doing.

 

[chihuahua]

I am far behind. Has the body that was found that was not MT been identified?
This has probably already been posted but it was brought to my attention that these two are also missing.
+Mickeala Brady 2-16-18 Des Moines IA Age 17 6-28-18 +Taylor Foley 6-28-18 Davenport IA Age 17
Sorry if this isn't complete or up-to-date or has already been posted.

 

[zecats]

I still believe she was taken on her run, and I think it's possible that happened without anyone seeing. I think back to Kelsey Smith Murder of Kelsey Smith - Wikipedia
She was abducted from a busy Target parking lot in broad daylight (7 PM in June, which is still very light out). A random crime--the guy saw her in Target, followed her, and then ambushed her by her vehicle. At first glance, they didn't even see it on CCTV until they slowed it down.

So daylight, cars around, people in the parking lot, and no one saw anything that we know of. It was solved by thankfully there being cameras at Target and at the Macy's where he ditched her vehicle. All this to say that even before dark when we think some people may be out and about, it really just takes a second to grab someone and shove them in a car. Then you are out of there in seconds. Ambushed perhaps with no chance to even scream or yell out. And of course, if it was someone she knew fairly well and went with willingly, there would be no struggle or anything odd to even see.

I also think about the poster in the last thread from IL who drove to Brooklyn yesterday. He (she? I am unsure of poster's sex) is not from the town but said driving through, most people they saw just waved at them as they went past. So I don't know that people would be all that suspicious or on the lookout for a vehicle that didn't belong as we may believe.

Possibly because there are many curiosity seekers driving through town at the moment. Local folks may be becoming desensitized to strangers because of that, or perhaps a wave is still an indication that they are aware of you. MOO

 

[K.jill]

This quote is from my late friend, Foxfire:
"The American public, analogous to a security camera across the landscape, is law enforcement's most valuable investigative resource..'When will they ever learn"?

It is important to keep most information close to the vest in an investigation, I get that but I hope the danger of not informing the public is weighed against the need of not informing us.

 

[MntnHiker]

I (male) wrote the post yesterday about visiting Brooklyn; please note that I was driving reasonably - with nothing to hide and no evil intentions in mind - and I would assume I only attracted 'normal' attention.

However - if I were to try and abduct someone - I'm guessing there'd be a bit of commotion, my vehicle might be parked in a weird angle, location, etc. - and of those issues would tend to draw more attention than one just merely driving respectfully through the town???

Oh absolutely you weren't there for a nefarious purpose. I was trying to say that it didn't appear (from what you wrote) that anyone sat and stared you down or looked at you too funny (I think you said no one gave you the "stink eye") and this was even after MT has been missing and citizens may (rightly so) be on heightened alert. So if a strange vehicle drove into town, no one may have looked sidewise.

Of course someone driving erratically or parking strangely could raise suspicion, but if it happened quickly like the Kelsey case without anyone seeing, it could still slide under the radar.

(I also haven't ruled out that the perp is a local, known by people, and therefore not raising suspicion at all).

 

[mountainguy777]

I don’t think LE has anything more than a last ping of her Fitbit or phone in the area they are searching.

 

[PommyMommy]

I am far behind. Has the body that was found that was not MT been identified?
This has probably already been posted but it was brought to my attention that these three are also missing.
+Mickeala Brady 2-16-18 Des Moines IA Age 17 6-28-18 +Taylor Foley 6-28-18 Davenport IA Age 17 +Emily Tipsword 6-28-18 Davenport IA Age 16
Sorry if this isn't complete or up-to-date or has already been posted.

Not yet. And Emily Tipsword was found in July.

Good morning Chi!

 

[SharonNeedles]

"Let's go get her," is a very odd way of phrasing the goal here.
It sounds like retrieving a lost object. Very strange.

Think about that for a minute.

 

[chihuahua]

Not yet. And Emily Tipsword was found in July.

Good morning Chi!

Thank you dear

 

[borndem]

My thought is - out of sight, out of mind.

Need to keep the public interested and tips coming in, et al.

I think LE is in a damned-if-you-do/damned-if-you-don't situation with PC's.

If no PC's, many folks think LE must not know anything and hasn't been doing anything with the case. If LE has regular PC's and they essentially can't reveal anything, the public assumes the same thing -- that LE isn't doing anything, and they don't know anything. It's a lose/lose situation for LE.
JMO

 

[Twinny]

I feel based on the fact her jogging ckothes werent found she went missing during her jog and was on her way to her mums for dinner.
Her brother dropped her off 5:30. She let the dogs out. She did her homework. Sent the snapchat. Put the dogs back in the bsmt. Went for a jog. Got her mums text. Answered ok to coming over for dinner and thought shed bring the car back to use the next day. The neighbor seen her turn north going up the highway to her mums. She passed the highschool and maybe it was along that isolated stretch she was abducted.
She knew she had 2 red shirts at her mums so maybe didnt take one home that day for work or left it at work to put on over her shirt she would wear.
I really feel she was abducted on that highway leading to her mums place.

 

[Mdawg008]

I followed the story about Abby and Libby and I’ll never understand why even now, a year out and LE has not released anymore info.

That one bugs me the most. The suspect's sketch made from 2 witnesses was withheld for 5 full months. I have friends in LE and they couldn't think of a scenario where that made sense given that a suspect sketch wouldn't be something use in court against someone. Really hope that doesn't happen here.

 

[shanadk]

I find this to be too much "coincidence".
Security cameras next door: Out of service. Dogs: Locked in basement. Roommates: Out of town.