Home Local News RIVERA TELLS NEW VERSION OF TIBBETTS DEATH AS DEFENSE RESTS CASE

RIVERA TELLS NEW VERSION OF TIBBETTS DEATH AS DEFENSE RESTS CASE

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THE MAN ACCUSED OF MURDERING 20-YEAR-OLD MOLLIE TIBBETTS IN BROOKLYN, IOWA, NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO TOOK THE STAND WEDNESDAY AND TOLD A STORY NOBODY HAS EVER HEARD BEFORE.

CRISTHIAN BAHENA RIVERA SAID THROUGH A TRANSLATOR THAT HE WAS KIDNAPPED BY TWO ARMED MEN AND THOSE MEN PUT TIBBETTS BODY IN THE TRUNK OF HIS CAR.

RIVERA5 OC………HAD A KNIFE.” :18

BAHENA RIVERA ANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS ALLEGED ABDUCTION FROM HIS DEFENSE ATTORNEY:

RIVERA6 OC…….DARK CLOTHING.”:16

RIVERA TESTIFIED HE AND THE MEN GOT IN HIS CAR AND THEY ORDERED HIM TO TRACK TIBBETTS UNTIL HE WAS ORDERED TO STOP THE CAR AFTER THEY HAD PASSED TIBBETTS A FEW TIMES.

HE SAYS HE DID NOT SEE WHO KILLED TIBBETTS AND THAT THE MEN RAN AWAY AFTER HE DROVE TO A RURAL AREA,

RIVERA ADMITTED HE PLACED TIBBETTS’ BODY IN THE CORN FIELD AND WAS SCARED, SO DIDN’T CALL POLICE.

PROSECUTOR SCOTT BROWN THEN QUESTIONED RIVERA ABOUT HOW THIS STORY CONTRADICTS WHAT HE TOLD INVESTIGATORS IN 2018, FOCUSING ON PART OF THE INTERVIEW WHERE RIVERA DESCRIBED TIBBETTS SLAPPING HIM DURING A CONFRONTATION ON THE ROAD:

RIVERA7 OC……..ISN’T THAT RIGHT?” :14

RIVERA SAYS THE TWO MEN HAD THREATENED HIS DAUGHTER AND EX-GIRLFRIEND AND THAT’S WHY HE DIDN’T TELL INVESTIGATORS WHAT HE SAID IN COURT TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE DEFENSE RESTED AFTER CALLING A TOTAL OF 11 WITNESSES.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY.