(Radio Iowa) – The man accused of murdering 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts in Brooklyn, Iowa nearly two years ago is claiming he was kidnapped by two armed men and the men put Tibbetts body in his trunk. Speaking through an interpreter, Cristhian Bahena Rivera answered questions from his defense attorney.

Bahena testified he and the men got in his car and they ordered him to track Tibbetts as she ran. Bahena claims he did not see who killed Tibbetts. Under questioning by the prosecutor, Bahena acknowledged his claims in court today contradict much of what he told investigators in 2018.

The prosecutor focused on the part of Bahena’s 2018 interview where Bahena described Tibbetts slapping him during a confrontation on the road.

Bahena testified today the two men had threatened his daughter and ex-girlfriend. Bahena told his defense attorney that was why he didn’t tell investigators what he said in court today.  “You did not plan to tell them what really happened.” “Right.” In cross-examination, Bahena told prosecutor Scott Brown he did not know who the men were.

“Other than these two men who you claim were at the corn field with you, you were the only other person at the corn field, correct?” Brown asked and Bahena replied: “Yes.” Bahena also told Brown the men sometimes pointed the gun at him, but he was never punched or stabbed by the men.

Testimony today concluded around two o’clock this (Wednesday) afternoon. The prosecutor can call rebuttal witnesses, but it’s possible closing argument could be delivered tomorrow (Thursday). The trial is being broadcast on Iowa media, as well as nationwide on Court T-V.