The man charged in the kidnapping and killing of an Iowa college student is expected to make his initial court appearance this (Wednesday) afternoon. 24-year old Cristhian Bahena Rivera is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Mollie Tibbetts, who disappeared July 18 from Brooklyn, Iowa. He’s set to appear at the Poweshiek County Courthouse in Montezuma at 1 p.m. A criminal complaint alleges Rivera followed Tibbetts while she was out for a run, abducted and killed her, and dumped her body in a cornfield. Investigators say Rivera led them to a body believed to be Tibbetts early Tuesday.
An autopsy is scheduled for today (Wednesday) by the state medical examiner to determine the cause of death. Rivera was being held in the Poweshiek County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond.