Four were suspects in Iowa slaying

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Before investigators arrested a farmhand in the death of University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts, they scrutinized a neighbor seen washing his car hours after she vanished, an acquaintance who erased his cellphone data, a Nebraska man who ditched his vehicle nearby and a farmer with a history of stalking women.

Newly unsealed search warrants reveal that four men were the subject of police interest during the five-week search for the 20-yearold, who went missing July 18. The documents provide new details about how Tibbetts’ disappearance in the town of Brooklyn, Iowa, stumped agents.

The suspect charged in Tibbetts’ death, Cristhian Bahena-rivera, did not come on their radar until shortly before authorities said he led them to her body in a cornfield in August.

Investigators say Rivera, 24, followed Tibbetts in a car and then on foot as she was out for an evening run, kidnapped her after a struggle and stabbed her to death. Rivera was identified as a suspect after officers found surveillance footage showing a Chevy Malibu that they later linked to him. Rivera is a Mexican national who authorities say was in the U.S. illegally.

Investigators had focused attention on four others in the kidnapping based on circumstances and seemingly suspicious behavior.

“It was not a fun thing to go through, that’s for sure,” said Tim Tometich, 42, who lives along the running route where Tibbetts was last seen. “But we all wanted her found and home safe and obviously understand they had a job to do and needed to track down every lead they had.”

All the men were ruled out as suspects through further investigation, said Mitch Mortvedt, assistant director of the Division of Criminal Investigation.