712 Digital Group - top

Court delays trial for man charged with killing Iowa student

News

January 28th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The trial for the man charged with killing University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts in 2018 has been delayed. Cristhian Bahena Rivera had been scheduled to stand trial for first-degree murder on Feb. 4 in Sioux City. That plan became uncertain last week when Judge Joel Yates suspended the case so that the Iowa Supreme Court could decide whether to grant Rivera’s pretrial appeal of a key ruling.

A court spokesman said Tuesday that the trial has been delayed and will not happen in the month of February. A new trial date will be set after the Iowa Supreme Court decides how to handle Rivera’s appeal.