Illegal immigrant gets life in prison for murder

Bahena Rivera, a farm worker who crossed into the US illegally back when he was a teenager has been sentenced to life for the murder of Mollie Tibbetts.

Ms. Tibbetts, a student at the University of Iowa was jogging near her home when she disappeared in July 2018.

Her disappearance caused outrage over women’s safety alone outside their homes.

Rivera was found guilty in May but the judge delayed the sentencing, allowing the defense to investigate a couple of claims that arose after the jury found Rivera guilty.

The claims suggested others may have been behind the killing.

But earlier in August, the judge decided the new information was not substantial or reliable, and gave him no reason to overturn the verdict.

The judge denied his new trial request.

“Bahena Rivera, you, and you alone. Forever, changed the lives of those who loved Mollie Tibbetts, and for that. You, and you alone will receive the following sentence,” Justice Joel Yates said.

“It is the order and judgement of this court, acting in pursuant of provisions of section 902 [inaudible] that the defendant [inaudible] is hereby committed to custody [inaudible] for a lifetime sentence with no eligibility for parole,” Justice Joel Yates ordered.

The defense is set to file an appeal and the prosecutors along with the victim’s family are pleased with the sentence.

27-year-old Rivera was an illegal immigrant and the case gave rise to calls to stop illegal immigration.

President Trump had blamed the US immigration system for Mollie Tibbetts death, but the victim’s family asked everyone to stop politicizing Mollie’s death and they were ideas she strongly opposed.

Rivera was arrested a month after Mollie’s disappearance as CCTV footage showed his car passing Mollie frequently as she was jogging. Her DNA was later found in his car.

He claimed to have approached Mollie because he found her attractive but got angry and passed out after she threatened to call 911.

After regaining consciousness, Rivera found Mollie in the trunk of his car and then buried her in a corn field.

On trial, Rivera changed his story and claimed two masked men had abducted him and forced him to become an accomplice.

Rivera was then unanimously found guilty by the 12-member jury.