Tibbetts’s Accused Killer Describes Finding Her In Trunk of Car

Mollie Tibbetts’s accused killer told investigators that he “blocked” out any recollection of the slaying and that after chasing her, the next thing he remembered was seeing her dead body in the trunk of his car.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by People, Cristhian Bahena Rivera told the police that after discovering Tibbetts’ in his car with her head bloodied, he dragged her body into a field and concealed it with plants.

Investigators said in a probable cause statement obtained by the Des Moines Register that video footage showed a dark-colored Chevy Malibu approach Tibbetts as she ran near the area of Boundary and Middle Streets near Brooklyn, Iowa, on July 18.

This undated photo released by the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation shows Mollie Tibbetts, a University of Iowa student who was reported missing from her hometown in the eastern Iowa city of Brooklyn on July 19, 2018. (Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation/AP)

Rivera admitted to investigators that he was driving the vehicle and that he stopped driving and exited the car. He began running behind her, then alongside her, which scared Tibbetts. She told Rivera “I’m gonna call the police” and grabbed her phone.

“Rivera said he then panicked and got mad and that he then ‘blocked’ his ’memory' which is what he does when he gets very upset,” investigators stated.

“He doesn’t remember anything after that until he came to an intersection [back in his car],” investigators stated.

Rivera told them he made a U-turn and drove to an entrance to a cornfield and drove into a driveway. He then noticed there was an earpiece from headphones in his lap and realized that he had killed Tibbetts when he blacked out and had placed her body in the trunk.

Rivera then dragged Tibbetts on foot from his vehicle to a secluded location in the cornfield and covered her body in some corn leaves, leaving her there face up.

Rivera later led investigators to the location of the body, on Aug. 21.

Officials said in a press conference on Aug. 22, that Rivera was charged with first-degree murder.

No motive in Tibbett’s slaying has been announced.

This undated photo provided by the Iowa Department of Public Safety shows Cristhian Bahena Rivera. Authorities said on Aug. 21, 2018, that they have charged a man living in the U.S. illegally with murder in the death of Iowa college student, Mollie Tibbetts, who disappeared a month ago while jogging in a rural area. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Rick Rahn said that Rivera, 24, was charged with murder in the death of Tibbetts. (Iowa Department of Public Safety via AP)

‘Sad Day’

Rivera, an illegal alien, lived in the area and worked on a local farm for four years.

Dane Lang, co-owner of Yarrabee Farms, said that Rivera had passed a federal vetting process for immigrants and had been a farm employee “in good standing.”

“This is a profoundly sad day for our community. All of us at Yarrabee Farms are shocked to hear that one of our employees was involved and is charged in this case,” Lang said in a statement read during a press conference, reported the Des Moines Register.

“This individual has worked at our farms for four years, was vetted through the government’s E-Verify system, and was an employee in good standing. On Monday, the authorities visited our farm and talked to our employees. We have cooperated fully with their investigation. Yarrabee Farms follows all laws related to verifying employees are legal to work in the United States, and we regularly seek outside counsel to ensure we stay up to date on employment law matters.”

He added, “We keep records on all employees and have shared that information with authorities. We appreciate the hard work of law enforcement officials. We will continue to cooperate with authorities as the investigation moves forward.”

The specifics of how Rivera, 24, passed the e-verify system haven’t been revealed, but a report released in 2017 by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration stated that illegal immigrants steal hundreds of thousands of legal identities to gain employment.

Trump Speaks

President Donald Trump spoke about the suspected murder during a rally in West Virginia later on Aug. 21.

“You heard about today with the illegal alien coming in, very sadly, from Mexico and you saw what happened to that incredible, beautiful young woman,” Trump told the crowd in Charleston, reported the Associated Press.

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“Should’ve never happened. Illegally in our country. We’ve had a huge impact, but the laws are so bad. The immigration laws are such a disgrace, we’re getting them changed, but we have to get more Republicans. We have to get ‘em.”

Iowa’s two U.S. senators described Tibbetts’ death as a tragedy “that could have been prevented,” and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a statement that residents in her state were heartbroken and angry.

“We are angry that a broken immigration system allowed a predator like this to live in our community, and we will do all we can to bring justice to Mollie’s killer,” Reynolds said.

NTD.tv contributed to this report.