Cops Hunt For Possible Accomplices Who Aided Mollie Tibbetts’ Killer
Aug. 22 2018, Published 10:13 p.m. ET
The man who confessed to brutally killing Mollie Tibbetts may have had help from accomplices, a source close to the investigation reveals to RadarOnline.com exclusively.
The black Chevy Malibu which led to the capture of Cristhian Rivera early Monday evening didn’t belong to the illegal immigrant.
“The car is in law enforcement possession,” Assistant Director Mitch Mortvedt of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said. However, law enforcement would not disclose if they have located or interviewed the owner of the black Chevy Malibu.
“It appears investigators are now looking for whoever helped, aided, abetted, or knew of what Rivera did,” the source said. “It is possible that Rivera did not act alone.”
“In cases where a key piece of evidence – such as the vehicle the suspect used – does not belong to them, it is more likely than not that he did not act alone,” the source revealed to RadarOnline.com exclusively.
“Agents are still going door-to-door and interviewing friends, relatives, neighbors and acquaintances of Rivera.”
As of Wednesday morning, police were still on scene where Mollie was discovered and are providing a police detail to protect Rivera’s former girlfriend, with whom he has a baby.
Police are said to be zeroing in on a few locations – including one mobile home community on the south side of town in Brooklyn, Iowa – where Rivera has family living. “After Mollie disappeared, Rivera frequently visited a second mobile home in the small community on Jefferson Street,” the source added.
“Obviously, they can only make a case against an accomplice with evidence,” prominent criminal defense attorney A. Charles Peruto, Jr. told RadarOnline.com. “That could come by the future co-defendant giving them information, that implicates themselves, or even making a deal with the killer. The latter would have to be corroborated, and dealing with a murderer, is not likely here.”
Justin, a resident of the mobile home community, told RadarOnline.com exclusively Tuesday that he saw Rivera there several times after Mollie disappeared, but nobody knew it was him who was responsible. “I’ve seen his black Malibu here about six times, but not at his family’s mobile home,” Justin revealed. “It was at another one. He’d go there after he dropped his daughter off.”
Rivera’s family allegedly babysat his daughter while he was running errands or working, according to the resident. “Obviously, nobody knew it was him. Had we known, this would be a whole different story now, wouldn’t it?”
RadarOnline.com was first to report that authorities were closing in on a suspect just one week prior to the apprehension of Rivera.
Rivera is being housed in jail on $5 million cash bail pending his preliminary hearing scheduled for Aug. 31.
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