Man accused of killing Mollie Tibbetts says armed men forced his involvement
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Updated: 8:47 AM CDT May 27, 2021
Chris Gothner
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Updated: 8:47 AM CDT May 27, 2021
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WILL GO ON AS SCHEDULED, ALONG WITH THE ICE CREAM SOCIAL SATURDAY AFTERNOON. RFO THE FIRST TIME TONIGHT, WE ARE HEARING FROM THE MAN CHARGED WITH KILLING MOLLIE TIBBET.TS CRISTHIAN BAHENA RIVERA TOOK THE STAND TODAY AND TOLD THE JURY TWO ARMED, MASKED MEN FORCED HIM TO FOLLOW THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA STUDENT BACK IN 2018. KETV NEWSWATCH 7’S JOSE ZOZAYA IS LIVE WITH THE TESTIMONY. JOSE? JOSE: YEAH, ALEXANDRA,AHAEN B RIVERA TESTIFIED THE TWO MEN HELD HIM AT GUN AND KNIFE POINT, THREATENING TO HURT HIS DAUGERHT AND THE CHILD’S MOTHER IF HE DIDN’T DO AS HE CLAIMS THEY SAID. AT ONE POINT, AS HE DROVE ON JULY 18, 2018, CRISTHIAN BAHENA RIVERA SAYS THE MAN SITTINING THE RIGHT PASSENGER SEAT GOT OUT ON THE SIDE OF THE RD.OA HE THEN CAME BACK AFTER ROUGHLY 10 MINUTES, THEN TOLD THE DEFENDANT TO TURN BACK, STOP AND GIVE THE TWO MEN HIS KEYS. >> I HEARD THEM OPENING THE TRK.UN >> WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? I JUST HEARD A MOVEMENT IN THE CAR, AND THEN THAT THE TRUNK CLOSED. JOSE: AT ONE POINT, THE DEFENDANT CLAIMS THE ARMED MEN ASKED FOR HIS PHONE AND LEFT. WHEN BAHENA RIVERA GOT OUT OF HIS CAR, NOW NEAR A WHITE HOUSE OUTSIDE BROOKLYN, IOWA, HE OPENED THE TRUNK AND FOUND MOLLIE TIBBETTS’ BODY. >> I STAYED THERE A COUPLE OF MINUTES, THINKING WHAT TO DO. AND THEN, I DECIDED TO TAKE THE BODY O.UT >> WHY DIDN’T YOU CALL THE POLICE, SIR? >> BECAUSE I WAS SRED.CA JOSE: BAHENA RIVERA ADMITTED TO TAKING TIBBETTS’ BODY OUT OF HIS TRUNK, PLACING HER IN A CORN FIELD, AND COVERING HER. ON CROSS-EXAMINATION, POWESHIEK COUNTY PROSECUTORS REMINDED BAHENA RIVERA HE PREVIOUSLY TOLD INVESTIGATORS HE DID CONFRONT TIBBETTS OUT BY THE ROAD, DAN THAT SHE GOT ANGRY, THREATENING TO CALL POLICE. THE STATE ASKED THIS FINAL QUESTION ON WEDNESDAY. >> DO YOU AGREE YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD TAKE THE POLICE TO THE BODY OF MOLLIE TIBBETTS? >> Y.ES >> THAT’S L. JOSE: AT ANOTHER POINT IN THE CROSS EXAMINATION, PROSECUTORS ASKED BAHENA RIVERA IF HE WAS E ONETH WHO STABBED TIBBETTS. HE SAID NO, BUT DID SAY HE BROUGHT HER BODY INTO THE CORNFIELD ALE.ON WE WILL OF COURSE FOLLOW THE REST OF THE DEFENSE’S CASE THROUGHOUT THE W