Mollie Tibbetts case: Cristhian Bahena Rivera pleads not guilty at arraignment
He entered the not guilty plea to a charge of first-degree murder with the help of a translator at a court in Poweshiek County
24-year-old Cristhian Rivera, the man who has been accused of kidnapping and killing Mollie Tibbetts in Brooklyn, Iowa, appeared at his arraignment on September 19 and pleaded not guilty. He entered the not guilty plea to a charge of first-degree murder with the help of a translator at a court in Poweshiek County. Chad Frese, his attorney, said in the court that Rivera has a "limited understanding of English and limited education". The 20-year-old college student vanished in July after she went out for her evening run and a massive search was launched to try and find her. Rivera was found out to be the suspect after surveillance footage from homes on the route that Tibbetts took on her run showed his vehicle following her.