BROOKLYN, Iowa -- More than a month after Mollie Tibbetts was
last seen, authorities announced they believe they have found
her body.
RELATED: Mollie Tibbetts' body found, authorities believe
Here's a timeline of events from her disappearance to the tragic
discovery.
Monday, July 16
This was the last day Dalton Jack, Tibbetts' high school
sweetheart, said he saw his girlfriend in person.
Tuesday, July 17: Her boyfriend leaves town
Jack drove to his job at a construction company about 100 miles
away, according to ABC News. Tibbetts was living with Dalton and
his brother, Blake, for the summer.
Her boyfriend was still away when Tibbetts was discovered
missing. Blake was also away visiting his fiancee in Ames, he
told the Associated Press. Tibbetts was watching Blake's dogs
for him.
Police have cleared both Dalton and Blake Jack as suspects.
RELATED: Everything we know about the Mollie Tibbetts case
Wednesday, July 18: Last sighting
5:30 p.m.: Tibbetts' older brother, Jake, dropped Mollie off at
her boyfriend's house, where she was still staying alone with
the dogs. Investigators said Jake Tibbetts is not a suspect.
7:30 p.m According to a "reasonable timeline" constructed by
authorities, Tibbetts went for a jog around this time and was
seen running on the city streets of Brooklyn.
On her run she was believed to be wearing "dark colored running
shorts, a pink sports top and running shoes, color unknown,"
according to Iowa DCI. They are taking a look at any
surveillance footage they can find, especially around the three
different routes she would normally take. Jack said she would
have taken her fitness tracker and phone with her on her run.
8:30 p.m. Brooklyn man Devin Riley said he saw a woman jog past
his home around this time that he later believed to be Tibbetts.
When he realized what he had seen, he contacted authorities.
10 p.m. Jack opened a SnapChat from Tibbetts. The snap contained
a selfie Tibbetts took, and Jack said she appeared to be inside.
It's unclear what time the photo was taken, but investigators
believe it was taken on Wednesday.
Authorities originally believed Mollie may have gone missing
during the run, but Tibbetts' brother Jake told KCCI that
authorities now think she may have been at Jack's home doing
homework as late as 10 p.m. Neighbor Dave Collum told the
Associated Press that investigators also told him Tibbetts had
returned home after jogging past his house, according to data
from her Fitbit.
When asked about this at a July 31 press conference, the
investigative team declined to discuss whether or not they
believe Tibbetts returned home from her run. They also declined
to discuss when they believe Tibbetts sent the snap that her
boyfriend later opened.
Thursday, July 19: Reported missing
Morning: Jack sent Tibbetts a message, but he said he didn't
notice it went unread.
Afternoon: Tibbetts worked at a day camp. A coworker of
Tibbetts' called Jack to tell him she hadn't shown up for work
and also hadn't called in sick. Jack began calling loved ones,
none of whom had seen her at any time on Thursday.
Later Thursday: Tibbetts' family reported her missing to police
on Thursday.
Friday, July 20
A Facebook group called "Finding Mollie Tibbetts" was created to
help find her. The group is used to distribute fliers and
organize the search.
WOI reports that hundreds of people turned out to help with the
search. The public is asked to contact the Poweshiek County
Sheriff's Office with any tips.
The University of Iowa, where Tibbetts is due to be a sophomore,
releases a statement that they are monitoring the situation and
offering support where needed.
University of Iowa
?
@uiowa
Our thoughts are with Mollie Tibbetts’ family and friends. The
University of Iowa is monitoring the situation and will offer
support as needed. More information:
https://bit.ly/2LBzium
10:42 AM - Jul 20, 2018
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Sunday, July 22
Authorities said there is no new information. Tibbetts' case
gains more attention on social media, including tweets from
notable figures with ties to Iowa such as actor Tom Arnold, NBA
player Harrison Barnes and NFL rookie Josey Jewell.
Tom Arnold
?
@TomArnold
PLEASE help us find this young Iowa woman. She’s been missing
since July 18. My family has a home in Brooklyn IA & she is a
Hawkeye. Look at her pic if you’re passing through IA on
Interstate 80 also. #MollieTibbetts #IowaStrong
1-800-346-5507
Harrison Barnes
?
@hbarnes
Please spread the word especially if you’re from Iowa.
#bringmolliehome
https://twitter.com/sweiss12/status/1021029930086424576 …
9:30 AM - Jul 22, 2018
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268 people are talking about this
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Harrison Barnes
?
@hbarnes
Please spread the word especially if you’re from Iowa.
#bringmolliehome
Sue Weiss
@sweiss12
This hits close to home. Mollie Tibbets is missing from my
hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa. Last seen on July 18 when she went
on a run. Please retweet! @hbarnes #missingperson
#missingpersons #findingmollietibbetts #IowaStrong
#BringMollieHome
View image on Twitter
7:20 AM - Jul 22, 2018
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561 people are talking about this
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View image on Twitter
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Josey Jewell
?
@josey_jewell
7:13 AM - Jul 22, 2018
425
575 people are talking about this
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Monday, July 23
Jack spoke with WOI and ABC News. He said he's optimistic that
Tibbetts will be home soon and that if she can hear him he wants
her to know that "I miss you so much, and I love you."
Jack said he is continuing to send text messages to Tibbetts,
though they all remain unread.
Tibbetts' mother, Laura Calderwood, also spoke to the media.
"She is just such an outgoing, fun, loving life, loving person,"
she told ABC News. "She was getting ready to move into her first
apartment."
She added that there are "no words to describe how you feel when
you don't know where or how your child is."
She also said Jack's brother is scheduled to get married in the
Dominican Republic on August 2. Tibbetts had been planning to go
with Jack to the wedding and she is close to the bride and
groom, her mom said.
Poweshiek County Sheriff Thomas Kriegel told ABC News this is
the longest anyone in the tight-knit community has been missing
in his memory. He said in addition to the searches on foot, a
plane, a helicopter and kayakers have gone out looking for her.
"We're surrounded by farm ground -- corn and soy beans. Right
now the corn is probably eight, nine feet tall. The only way you
can search it is basically walk down every other row," he said.
"It's difficult. Even the planes flying over have a difficulty
looking down in the corn row."
Tuesday, July 24
Tibbetts' brothers, Scott and Jake, expressed their hopes and
their worries in an interview with ABC News.
"It's been a whirlwind," Jake said. "We've gone from sad to
worried to just anxious and clueless. We've been to every
emotion there is. Now it's just patience. That's the hardest
one, probably."
Jake said they'd been getting up at 5 a.m. to look for her "in
every field, every ditch, every creek."
Scott said he knows that wherever his sister is, she's trying to
get home.
"She's a better fighter than anyone I know," he said. "So
whatever situation she's in, it's not like she's going to sit
there and give up."
An update on the Facebook group thanked everyone for the support
and said there are no updates.
Wednesday, July 25
Tibbetts' family told WOI that they are spreading out across the
state to distribute posters and spread the word.
Kriegel gave WOI an update on the investigation. He said
investigators are working with hundreds of tips that are coming
in and that he also believes there will be useful information
from her Fitbit.
When asked whether there is a reason to believe she may have
been abducted, Kriegel said, "Well we are worried about that."
Kriegel told ABC News that Jack's alibi was confirmed and he is
not a suspect, and neither is his brother. Tibbetts' two
brothers have also been cleared and are not suspects.
Thursday, July 26
On this day, police in Kearney, Missouri responded to a possible
sighting of Tibbetts at a truck stop. They conducted a search
and interviewed witnesses before sending a report to
investigators in Iowa. One individual claims to have seen her,
and police could not find any surveillance video to confirm the
report, according to ABC News. The woman turned out not to be
Tibbetts, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation special agent
Mike Krapfl confirmed to the Associated Press on August 2.
Authorities searched two hog farms about 15 minutes outside of
Brooklyn, KCRG reports. Agencies continue to receive tips but
there are still no suspects.
"You know, as long as we still have information coming in and we
feel that we're being productive, which we feel that we are,
there's been no talk about that amongst the investigative group
with all the agencies involved," said Iowa DCI agent Mitch
Mortvedt.
Friday, July 27
Laura Calderwood spoke to ABC News again to express her hope
that Tibbetts will be home soon.
"If it were me that were missing, Mollie wouldn't give up hope,"
she said. "You won't see me giving up hope. That's not an
option."
In a press release, Iowa DCI said there are no suspects yet.
"With the aide of the public, investigative leads continue to be
investigated and a multitude of individuals have been
interviewed," the statement said. "Additionally, a number of
searches have been conducted to include ground, air and K-9
searches."
DCI encouraged anyone with information to continue to send in
tips. They told KCRG they are still treating the investigation
like it's Day 1 of the search and emphasize that it's still
considered a rescue mission, not a recovery mission.
"We think she's still alive," a DCI rep told KCRG.
Mollie's father Rob, who lives in Fresno and works in the Bay
Area, spoke out to ABC30. Rob Tibbetts pleaded for anyone with
information to send in tips.
"We are a tough, resilient family. We're fighting like hell.
This isn't about us, this is about Mollie," he said.
Rob said Mollie was the best man at his wedding in early June.
Sunday, July 29
The reward for information that helps find Tibbetts increased
from $1,000 to $2,000. That's because a power utility company in
Brooklyn, TIP Rural Electric Cooperative, made a pledge to
double the existing reward, KCRG reports.
The latest post in the Facebook group said there is no new
information and asked members to keep sharing about her story to
get the word out.
Monday, July 30
Rob spoke to ABC News, begging the public to focus on the
efforts to find his daughter and to send in any information they
could think of.
"It doesn't matter what we're going through," he said. "We just
need people to think. Somebody knows something, and they don't
even know it's important."
Tuesday, July 31
Blake Jack told the Associated Press that his wedding plans were
postponed. He said that's nothing compared to what Tibbetts
family is going through.
At a press conference, Kevin Winker, director of investigative
operations for the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation,
declined to share additional details in the interest of the
case. Authorities have followed upwards of 200 leads. They are
still receiving and following new tips and encouraged the public
to continue using the tipline.
Wednesday, August 1
On this day, Tibbetts was scheduled to leave with Jack for his
brother's wedding in the Dominican Republic. She was supposed to
be the maid of honor, her mom said.
The groom, Blake Jack, once joked to his brother that he should
propose to Tibbetts on the trip, he told the Associated Press.
The reward for Tibbetts' safe return jumped from $2,000 to
$30,000.
Thursday, August 2
Mollie's family held a press conference with Crime Stoppers of
Central Iowa to discuss the "Bring Mollie Tibbetts Home Safe
Reward Fund," which had grown to $172,000. The tipline that has
been set up is anonymous.
Tibbetts' father, mother and boyfriend spoke at the press
conference. Her dad said he hopes the money will convince
someone to share information even if they think it's too small
of a detail or might incriminate a loved one.
"Nothing is irrelevant. Nothing is trivial," he said."If you
have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. So come forward,
share that information with authorities, and let's bring Mollie
home."
On Thursday afternoon, there was a large police presence on a
highway between Guernsey and Deep River, a little more than a
dozen miles from Brooklyn. A homeowner near the police presence
said that it had to do with the Tibbetts case, KCRG reports.
Friday, August 3
It was announced that the reward fund has climbed to $200,000.
In a press conference, authorities said they did not have
updates for the public about the search for Tibbetts and would
not give information as to whether there is a person of interest
or whether the investigation has confirmed any foul play. The
investigation continues to be treated as a missing person case.
A representative from the Iowa Missing Persons Information
Clearinghouse said that it is unusual for a missing person to be
categorized as "involuntary." There are only 26 cases listed as
"involuntary disappearance" out of the 390 people listed in the
state database. The involuntary disappearances date back to 1976.
Tibbetts is currently categorized in the database as "Other
adult missing."
Sunday, August 5
Authorities found the body of a white female in her 20s about
100 miles from where Tibbetts lives, but authorities later said
it was not Tibbetts. The reward is now up to $260,000.
Tuesday, August 7
Mollie's father Rob shared a new theory with ABC News. He
believes someone who knows Mollie took her, and he's pleading
with them to send her home safe.
"It's totally speculation," he said, "but I do believe that
Mollie is with someone who she knows, probably someone who cares
about her. But that relationship was misguided, misinterpreted
and went wrong, and I think they're in a place with Mollie and
don't know how to get themselves out of this horrible situation."
Wednesday, August 8
As the $300,000 reward for information continues to climb,
friends and family are sharing new videos that show Mollie's
playful nature.
EMBED MORE NEWS VIDEOS
Video taken by Mollie Tibbetts' friend shows the missing college
student's fun-loving personality. The first clip was taken the
day before she went missing.
Thursday, August 9
Brooklyn man Devin Riley told ABC News he believes he was
possibly the last person to see Tibbetts. He believes he saw her
jog past her home the night she went missing. When he realized
the missing woman looked like the woman he saw, he contacted
authorities.
"I wish I did know more, but I dread that maybe I was the last
person to see her," he said. "I remembered seeing her that
night. I just felt very weird. Who knows when she was taken in
that timeline, but I don't know what happened."
Sunday, August 12
Marry Ellen O'Toole, a former FBI profiler, told KCRG on Sunday
that she believes it's likely that Tibbetts left with someone
she knew.
"I think the most likely scenario is that Mollie was at least
somewhat familiar with the person that she went with, or the
person that she went with was someone that she viewed as non-
threatening to her," she said.
On Sunday evening, friends gathered in the Bay Area, where
Tibbetts lived as a young child, to hold a prayer service.
Monday, August 13
At a press conference, officials urged the public to think back
to the days surrounding her disappearance and note any strange
behavior by others.
"Often there are individuals who are unknowingly associated with
the offender of a crime and may be in a position to observe
behavioral changes in that person," said Mitch Mortvedt of DCI.
"They will recognize the change, and may even question them
about it, but will not relate the change to that person's
involvement in a crime."
Authorities announced a website to help with the search, which
resulted in more than 1,500 new tips in the first day.
Wednesday, August 15
The family met with Vice President Mike Pence on Air Force Two.
The vice president took a moment during a speech at an America
First Policies "Tax Cuts to Put America First" event to pause
and focus on Tibbetts. He emphasized that the federal government
would continue to provide resources to the search.
"As a father I can't imagine what the family of Mollie Tibbetts
is going through," he said. "We will continue to work and we
will continue to pray for Mollie's safe return."
Saturday, August 18
Rob Tibbetts told KCRG he's "very reluctantly" returning to
California. Law enforcement had encouraged the family to return
to their normal lives and let investigators continue with the
search. Tibbetts said they had moved their sons into college
earlier in the week and that they had passed by the place that
was supposed to be Mollie's home for her sophomore year.
Tuesday, August 21
Authorities found her body. Mollie's father, Rob, told ABC News
he did not have any comment at this time.
A medical examiner arrived at a rural area near Guernsey, about
a 15-minute drive south of Brooklyn, KOI reports.
Police say a man in the country illegally has been charged with
murder in the death of Mollie Tibbetts.
https://abc7.com/a-timeline-of-mollie-tibbetts-
disappearance/3816516/