The man accused of murdering Mollie Tibbetts appeared in court Wednesday afternoon. Twenty-four-year-old Cristhian Rivera is charged with first degree murder in Tibbetts’ death. In a hearing in Powesheik County, Assistant Attorney General Scott Brown asked that Rivera’s bail be set high. “We think it is appropriate given the severity of the charge, his immigration status, at least as it has been described to me, and the fact that what he is accused of is obviously a heinous crime, and certainly the safety of the community should be foremost in the Court’s mind whenever setting bond. So that’s what we have requested, that bond be set at $5 million cash only.”
Magistrate Judge Diane Crookham-Johnson agreed and set a preliminary hearing for August 31 at 2pm. Also at Wednesday’s hearing, defense attorney Allan Richards argued against expanded media coverage of the trial. “In this particular case, the coverage that’s out there is leaning all one way. In fact, the government has weighed in at the highest levels of predisposition that this young man, Cristhian, is guilty.” During Wednesday’s court hearing, Rivera was stoic and said little when spoken to. He had an interpreter, as did his attorney.
Meanwhile, the manager of a dairy farm where Rivera worked says he worked there for four years under a fake name. Dane Lang, manager of Yarrabee Farms in Brooklyn, said that Cristhian Bahena Rivera presented an out-of-state government-issued photo identification and a matching social security card when he was hired in 2014. Lang says, “our employee is not who he said he was.” Lang said the farm ran the information through the Social Security Administration’s employment verification system and it checked out. He said the farm didn’t use the E-Verify system as it asserted in a statement Tuesday night, saying an employee was mistaken. Lang also says he has received dozens of threatening phone messages and other contacts in the last 24 hours, including death threats. One person threatened to kill his dog and another said he would burn down his farm buildings. Lang says, “This is a really scary situation.”
Also, the family of Mollie Tibbetts released a statement Wednesday that notes their grief but also thanks “all of those from around the world who have sent their thoughts and prayers for our girl.” The statement adds, “We know that many of you will join us as we continue to carry Mollie in our hearts forever.” Tibbetts’ body was found Tuesday and 24-year-old Cristhian Bahena Rivera has been charged with first-degree murder in her death. Tibbetts was last seen July 18.
