A SCOTT COUNTY JURY IN DAVENPORT, IOWA HAS FOUND CRISTHIAN BAHENA RIVERA GUILTY IN THE 2018 STABBING DEATH OF 20-YEAR-OLD MOLLIE TIBBETTS IN BROOKLYN, IOWA.
JUDGE JOEL YATES HAD HIS COURT ATTENDANT READ THE VERDICT FRIDAY AFTER THE JURY HAD DELIBERATED FOR AROUND 7 HOURS OVER TWO DAYS:
RIVERA12 OC……FIRST DEGREE. :07
PROSECUTOR SCOTT BROWN STRESSED THE TRIAL WAS ABOUT MOLLIE AND HER FAMILY:
RIVERA13 OC……..FULLY ACCOUNTABLE. :09
POWESHIEK COUNTY ATTORNEY BART KLAVER MET WITH THE TIBBETTS FAMILY PRIVATELY AFTER THE VERDICT WAS READ:
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RIVERA SURPRISED MANY ON WEDNESDAY WHEN HE TOOK THE STAND AND SAID HE HAD BEEN KIDNAPPED BY TWO MASKED UNKNOWN MEN WHO KILLED TIBBETTS AND FORCED HIM TO DRIVE THEM TO THE CORNFIELD WHERE MOLLIE’S BODY WAS LEFT.
JENNIFER FRESE, ONE OF RIVERA’S DEFENSE ATTORNEY’S, SAYS IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE HAD HEARD THE STORY AS WELL:
RIVERA15 OC………THAT THAT. :12
JUDGE YATES ORDERED A PRE-SENTENCE INVESTIGATIVE REPORT TO BE MADE AND SET SENTENCING IN THE CASE FOR JULY 15TH AT 9:30 A.M. IN POWESHIEK COUNTY DISTRICT COURT IN MONTEZUMA, IOWA.
RIVERA WAS LED OUT OF THE COURTROOM IN HANDCUFFS AND FACES LIFE IN PRISON WITH THE GUILTY VERDICT.
UPDATED 4:54 P.M. 5/28/21
Picture courtesy Court TV
