Brooklyn, Iowa — The man who was convicted earlier this year of the 2008 kidnapping and murder of University of Iowa coed Mollie Tibbetts, as she was jogging in her small hometown, was sentenced to Life in Prison for the crime, without the possibility of parole.
The sentence handed down to Cristhian Bahea Rivera was a foregone conclusion, since the Iowa Code makes that sentence mandatory in 1st Degree Murder cases.
Prior to the sentencing, a statement from Mollie Tibbitts’ mother, Laura Calderwood was read in court. Sarah Harms from the prosecutor’s office read Calderwood’s statement during the proceedings carried on Court TV.
The 20-year-old Tibbetts disappeared in August of 2018 and Rivera was arrested and led police to her body in a Poweshiek County cornfield. Calderwood outlined in her statement the day the sheriff showed up with tears in his eyes to let her know they had found Mollie’s body. Calderwood said it shattered her world, and then she described in the statement how her mother had always faithfully believed Mollie would be found alive, and how she told her news.
Harms wrapped up the statement as Calderwood described how the killing impacted their lives.
After the sentencing, Assistant Attorney General Scott Brown, who prosecuted the case, spoke with the media.
Brown met with Mollie Tibbetts’ family after Monday’s sentencing. He was asked how the family is doing.
After pronouncing sentence, the judge told Rivera he has 30 days to file an appeal and one of his attorneys said they will be filing one.
