Court Docs Show State Paid over $12,000 to Interpreter for Accused Killer of Mollie Tibbetts
Court documents show the state of Iowa has paid more than $12,000 for interpreting services for the alleged killer of 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts.
The documents reveal “that as of July 24, the state has paid a total of $12,485 to Interpreters, Inc. for 227 hours of work needed” for the defense of Cristhian Bahena Rivera, according to KWQC.
Breitbart noted that in addition to the massive amount of money spent for interpreting services, attorneys for Bahena Rivera, an illegal immigrant, were able to get his trial moved to a more “Hispanic-populated” region of the state.
The 25-year-old man is charged with the murder of Tibbetts, who disappeared after taking a jog last year.
Tibbetts was last seen on July 18, 2018, when she went out for a run near her the home of her boyfriend, who she was house-sitting for.
Her boyfriend became worried the next day after she failed to return any text messages and learned from one of Tibbetts’ co-workers that she didn’t show up for work.
Her disappearance drew national attention, as thousands of people searched for the missing college student.
Our thoughts continue to be with Mollie Tibbetts’ family and friends. Mollie went missing from her hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa last week. Please contact authorities if you have any information: https://t.co/TZWzvXYA2l pic.twitter.com/L4Fm5QQbAg
— University of Iowa (@uiowa) July 25, 2018
The five-week search ended when Bahena Rivera led authorities to the body, which was covered in cornstalks in a rural field in Iowa.
Police said Bahena Rivera followed behind Tibbetts in his car, then eventually got out and started running alongside her.
When Tibbetts said she was going to call the police, Bahena Rivera “panicked and got mad,” according to a criminal complaint, as the Des Moines Register reported.
The complaint said Bahena Rivera “then ‘blocked’ his ‘memory’ which is what he does when he gets very upset,” and “doesn’t remember anything after that until he came to at an intersection.”
An autopsy of Tibbetts’ body showed that she died from “multiple sharp force injuries.”
Bahena Rivera, who’s originally from Mexico, is being held on $5 million bond, Breitbart reported.
His trial is scheduled for Nov. 12 in Woodbury County. If convicted, Bahena Rivera could be sentenced to life behind bars.
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