Found Deceased IA - Mollie Tibbetts, 20, Poweshiek County, 19 Jul 2018 *Arrest* #49

[PommyMommy]

MAY 26, 2021
Mollie Tibbetts' murder suspect takes the stand and blames mystery men for slaying (nbcnews.com)
[...]

Bahena Rivera said two armed men who were wearing black and had their faces covered by stocking caps showed up at his trailer after he finished showering that evening. The men directed him to get in his car and drive, and they passed Tibbetts as she ran several times before directing him to stop, he said.

Bahena Rivera, 26, said a man with a knife got out of the car and walked down the rural road. The man was gone for about 10 minutes as the second man in the back seat of the car grew nervous, saying, “Come on, Jack,” he claimed.

[...]

Bahena Rivera said the men loaded something into his trunk, directed him to drive several miles to a rural area, to turn off the car, wait a few minutes and leave. They said they knew his ex-girlfriend and young daughter, and that they would harm them if he ever told anyone what happened, he said.

Bahena Rivera said the men took off on foot down the road and he never saw them again. He said he opened the trunk a few minutes later and found Tibbetts' body, which he said was heavy as he carried it to the cornfield.

He said he covered her body with corn stalks because “I didn't want her to be too exposed to the sun," and that he then left and never planned to discuss what had happened again. Bahena Rivera said he left Tibbetts' phone, Fitbit and earbuds on the side of the road.

[...]

@katydid23!

 

[californiagem]

There is no way CB came up with that story on his own. He would have said it before. He needed the help of the defense team to come up with a story like that. I have to say, as a defense attorney, this is just ...... well, not sure what to say.

What's your honest opinion of prosecution as far as their whole cross of CBR?

 

[PrairieWind]

Why would they have jury instructions before the closing arguments?

They will need a hearing to go over the proposed jury instructions. Each side has submitted some likely and they need to iron our last minute objections. Improper jury instructions are a frequent reason criminal convictions get overturned.

 

[Seattle1]

They still could have put him up there to rip him to shreds with ugly innuendo, like they have so many others.

Seems the defense was late with issuing their subpoenas. This is prime construction time and I hope this guy is engaged on a heavy civil project miles away from the trial, and COVID travel restrictions plainly prevented him from safely arriving timely. I hope this defense team simply had no recourse and left frustrated!

 

[MsBetsy]

I agree. On their first cross of DJ, they asked him a question to which he denied having said whatever they said. Mr. Freeze asked him "If I pull up the record would you believe it? " DJ said "yes"
Mr. Freeze then begins flipping through papers, and could not find that particular page. So he dropped it. It was fairly obvious that he was just acting though.

Was it that he said he confronted Molly or that he got angry? He basically denied just about everything he told them when he was interviewed, apparently.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Waiting for them to return

 

[TL4S]

There is no way CB came up with that story on his own. He would have said it before. He needed the help of the defense team to come up with a story like that. I have to say, as a defense attorney, this is just ...... well, not sure what to say.

Why was U. Felix not called to the stand? Does he have a proven alibi?

 

[BUF]

Back live going over jury instructions

 

[californiagem]

Was it that he said he confronted Molly or that he got angry? He basically denied just about everything he told them when he was interviewed, apparently.

I honestly can't remeber the question.

 

[SharonNeedles]

Not gonna lie, I’m very disappointed in the prosecutions presentation and I’ve been very worried that the defense has a lot of room to get enough “reasonable doubt” to make at least one juror hold out.

But that may have been the most ridiculous defense theory I’ve ever heard. I can’t believe they’ve had two years to work on it and that’s the best they can do. I’ll be shocked if the jury deliberates for more than a couple hours.

 

[californiagem]

Can someone post a link of the feed? I can't find one.

 

[MsBetsy]

There is no way CB came up with that story on his own. He would have said it before. He needed the help of the defense team to come up with a story like that. I have to say, as a defense attorney, this is just ...... well, not sure what to say.

Meanwhile the defense makes an issue out of investigators giving him the idea that he blacked out.

 

[TL4S]

Are they trying to assert that maybe the masked men fled to Peksa's house nearby? Like they were all in on it together?

 

[TTF14]

There is no way CB came up with that story on his own. He would have said it before. He needed the help of the defense team to come up with a story like that. I have to say, as a defense attorney, this is just ...... well, not sure what to say.

Can you think harder? I'd really like to hear what you have to say!

 

[PrairieWind]

What's your honest opinion of prosecution as far as their whole cross of CBR?

As I mentioned earlier, i thought it was a bit clumsy. But I think the Prosecutor just never expected that story from JB and so he was just trying to do cross exam on the fly. He had just got blasted with an entirely different story than what JB has claimed before. I would not be surprised if they call a rebuttal witness, but also wouldn't be surprised if they just skip it and go to closing arguments either. He may decide that after going over everything over night that he can just make a really good closing argument that points out how ridiculous this story is. The calling of Pescha's daughter AFTER CB is perplexing and potentially very damaging to the defense. It is very common for defense to offer alternate theories of what may have happened or alternate potential assailants. "it could have happened this way or that way, or it could have been this guy, or that guy. But we don't know." But in this case, CB gets up and tells us what happens. It was almost telling the jury that they don't believe their own story.

 

[TTF14]

Regarding calling rebuttal witnesses. Is the State permitted to call CBR back up?

 

[JudgeJoe]

There is no way CB came up with that story on his own. He would have said it before. He needed the help of the defense team to come up with a story like that. I have to say, as a defense attorney, this is just ...... well, not sure what to say.

Not only that- he had to have someone to rehearse this with- many times imo. He doesn’t hesitate & seemed calm- easier with the leading yes/no questions, but still…

 

[PommyMommy]

MAY 26, 2021

DAY 6: Cristhian Bahena Rivera murder trial in death of Mollie Tibbetts

 

[MsBetsy]

MAY 26, 2021
Mollie Tibbetts' murder suspect takes the stand and blames mystery men for slaying (nbcnews.com)
[...]

Bahena Rivera said two armed men who were wearing black and had their faces covered by stocking caps showed up at his trailer after he finished showering that evening. The men directed him to get in his car and drive, and they passed Tibbetts as she ran several times before directing him to stop, he said.

Bahena Rivera, 26, said a man with a knife got out of the car and walked down the rural road. The man was gone for about 10 minutes as the second man in the back seat of the car grew nervous, saying, “Come on, Jack,” he claimed.

[...]

Bahena Rivera said the men loaded something into his trunk, directed him to drive several miles to a rural area, to turn off the car, wait a few minutes and leave. They said they knew his ex-girlfriend and young daughter, and that they would harm them if he ever told anyone what happened, he said.

Bahena Rivera said the men took off on foot down the road and he never saw them again. He said he opened the trunk a few minutes later and found Tibbetts' body, which he said was heavy as he carried it to the cornfield.

He said he covered her body with corn stalks because “I didn't want her to be too exposed to the sun," and that he then left and never planned to discuss what had happened again. Bahena Rivera said he left Tibbetts' phone, Fitbit and earbuds on the side of the road.

[...]

@katydid23!

His story looks even more ridiculous in writing.

The amazing thing is that he just sat there nonchalantly answering the questions with the same emotionless expression he's had the entire time.

Just like he went to work the next day as if nothing ever happened.

 

[TL4S]

If anything, the defense grilling DJ about his past infidelities only proved a pattern of behavior that shows if he wants to be with someone other than Mollie, he just does it. No need to kill her.