Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Jury reaches verdict at murder trial in death of Iowa runner

A jury has reached a verdict and is expected to announce it Friday afternoon in the murder trial of a farm laborer charged with killing a University Iowa student in 2018

Via AP news wire
Friday 28 May 2021 19:29 BST
Student Killed Iowa
Student Killed Iowa

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A jury reached a verdict Friday afternoon in the murder trial of a farm laborer charged with killing a University Iowa student in 2018.

Jurors at the Scott County Courthouse in Davenport reached the verdict after about seven hours of deliberations on Thursday and Friday in the case of Cristhian Bahena Rivera. Court officials were expected to announce the verdict Friday afternoon.

Bahena Rivera is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts who disappeared while out for a run in her hometown of Brooklyn Iowa, on July 18, 2018.

Prosecutors allege that Bahena Rivera attacked Tibbetts while she was running and then dumped her body in a cornfield.

Bahena Rivera claimed that two mystery men killed Tibbetts but forced him to drive them and left him with the body.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in