MONTEZUMA, Iowa. (AP) - The trial of a man charged in the killing of University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts has again been delayed because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 25, was supposed to stand trial on first-degree murder beginning Jan. 25, the Des Moines Register reported. But the Iowa Supreme Court in November ordered that all trials in the state be put on hold until Feb. 1 as virus cases have soared.
On Wednesday, court officials rescheduled Rivera’s trial to May 17.
Investigators say Rivera stalked Tibbetts while she was out for a run in Brooklyn, Iowa, and stabbed her to death. Tibbetts, 20, disappeared on July 18, 2018. After a massive police and volunteer effort to find her, authorities say, Bahena Rivera led them to her body.
His trial was moved out of Poweshiek County, where Tibbetts was killed, because of pretrial publicity. Rivera instead will be tried in Scott County.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.