POWESHIEK COUNTY, Iowa (KWWL) — A judge has denied a motion for a mistrial in the first degree murder conviction for Cristhian Bahena Rivera in the death of Mollie Tibbetts.
The judge ruled on the motion on Friday. The ruling comes exactly one week after Bahena Rivera was found guilty of killing Tibbetts back in 2018. The verdict came after a nine-day trial and years of delays in the case. The jury deliberated for less than 8 hours before returning the verdict.
Bahena Rivera faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. He is set to be sentenced on July 15.
The Trial
Tibbetts’ Family
Mollie’s mother wants her daughter remembered for her spirit and compassion. She wanted to become a child psychologist, so to Calderwood, it only seems fitting that funds go to youth struggling with mental health at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
They’ve already donated some funds to those getting psychiatric care at the hospital but hope, after the pandemic, to donate a therapy animal to the hospital.
DONATE: If you want to give to the Mollie Tibbetts Memorial Fund click here.
MORE COVERAGE OF CRISTHIAN BAHENA RIVERA
MORE COVERAGE OF MOLLIE TIBBETTS
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