Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - BREAKING NEWS Bonus: Mollie Tibbetts found murdered, illegal immigrant charged! Hear police news conference

Episode Date: August 21, 2018

The month-long search for missing Mollie Tibbetts ends with a gruesome discovery in rural Iowa. Nancy Grace shares the breaking news, including the investigators' news conference. Nancy is joined by forensics experts Karen Smith & Joseph Scott Morgan, medical examiner Dr. Michelle Dupre, private investigator Vincent Hill, Los Angeles defense lawyer Troy Slaten, RadarOnline.com reporter Alexis Tereszcuk, CrimeOnline reporter Leigh Egan, and Crime Stories' Alan Duke. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. It is with a heavy heart that we come to you with reports that the body of missing Iowa student Molly Tibbetts has been found in a local field this more than one month after Molly goes missing. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. Thank you for being with us. You know, the search to solve unsolved homicides, to find missing people, is all-consuming. But we all know that while we are on that frenzied search, trying to put together pieces of evidence, that there is the possibility that at the end our hearts will be broken. Molly's family and loved ones holding out hope till the bitter end.

Listen. Our hope is she comes home safe. That's what we've been praying for. That's what everyone's been praying for. And we, yeah, just that she's out there and she's okay and that she's going to be with us very soon. Molly has just the biggest heart of anyone we know. She's a friend to everyone.

She was never shy to go meet someone and become their friend. To everyone she talked to, she became a friend. She just, she had room in her heart for everyone. We've gone through stages of scared and sad and now we're just anxious and confused. But the support we've gotten from the community, from the town of Brooklyn and surrounding areas has just been amazing. You know, her friends, friends of her friends, her friends' families, it's just just it's amazing to see how much she meant to a

lot of people you are hearing molly's longtime sweetheart dalton jack hoping against hope that molly would come home alive in fact in the last days within the investigation sources have led us to believe that molly was alive and being held captive by someone she knew. What connection? We didn't know. But now we know in the last hours the horrible discovery that Molly Tibbetts' dead body has been found in a local field. This about a month after she vanishes seemingly into thin air. The 20-year-old Iowa College student, Molly,

who disappeared after her usual jog around town, was found dead early Tuesday in a field not far from where she actually vanished. According to sources, those sources say her body has been found in a field there in Poweshig County. This is the worst possible scenario for her family. Joining me right now is a veteran trial lawyer, Troy Slayton, joining us out of L.A. Troy, this is not the way we wanted the case to end. Certainly not. And my heart goes out to the family and friends of Molly. And one thing that we don't know right now is when she died. She's been missing for quite a while. And one of the things

that we're going to want to know and investigators are going to want to know, aside from securing the scene and trying to figure out who did this, is how long she's been deceased. Was she held captive? There's a lot to the story that still needs to be investigated and determined by the authorities. Oh, yes. And Troy Slayton, a reward fund of about $400,000, was amassed to find Molly alive. And now her family is saying, police are saying, that that money is going to be used to catch her killer. I mean, out to experienced crime scene investigator, forensics expert joining us, Karen Smith. I mean, Karen Smith, she did not die of natural causes. I don't need a press conference to tell me that. No, we don't. But Troy is absolutely correct. The

time of death is going to be critical because that can lead back to people who may have been with her at the time. We're going to be dealing with a lot of entomological samples or insects. Blowflies go through certain cycles and with those collections, along with some of the other insects at the site, can help investigators and technicians come up with an assumed or approximate time of death and how long she's been there based upon that information. Also, her clothing, the level of decomposition, all of these things are going to come into play and be extraordinarily important as we look for answers in this tragic, tragic finding. Guys, we are analyzing what we know now. We know that reports that Molly's body has been found. Molly said to be a sophomore at University of Iowa studying psychology.

Last seen alive the night of July 18, running in the small town of Brooklyn, Iowa. 2,000 people that she would run all around town. We are also learning that the body was found near one of the points of interest, five points of interest cops had honed in on early in the investigation. For those of you just joining us, the body of Molly Tibbetts has been found. The Iowa student that hundreds of people had joined together trying to find is dead. You know, they said in the last week that they were looking at five specific areas, five specific areas in the search for the missing Iowa student Molly Tibbetts. Now, we know that one of those areas obviously was her home,

the home where she was living. It belonged to her boyfriend, Dalton Jack, and his brother. Those two were absolutely, told to us, out of town at the time she goes missing. Another area we know that they were looking at was a pig farm, a pig farm not too, too far away. Also, she was running. That brings up an entirely open, open possibility of where her body would have been. Vincent Hill, she was running from one end of Brooklyn, Iowa to the next. It's a small town. So anywhere along that route was the possibility.

Yeah, anywhere in Ancine. I think that's why investigators were able to narrow it down to just five places, especially this pig farm and especially her house. We just heard in that presser the timeline and how that was important while the search was going on. It's really important now to determine when Molly was actually killed. If she was being held captive, did that tip this person off? Did they kill her then and then dump her body? So the decomposition, all of that will come into play here to determine when she actually died and to get that evidence to find out who actually did this. And how will they be able to do that to you, Karen Smith, forensics expert? How will they be able to determine the timeline of her death?

Well, besides the entomological samples I discussed earlier, they're going to look at the level of decomposition, look at the weather conditions. How was the body found? Was it in a shallow grave? Was it on the surface? Was it covered with sticks? Was it still closed? You know, all of these things come into play and it makes it very, very difficult to estimate a time of death, but they can get a window, which will work when it comes to looking back. The investigators are going to be combing through that entire area with a fine tooth comb, inch by inch, not only looking at the remains, but looking for any evidence in the vicinity. You know, we find discarded receipts, bottle caps, cans, cigarette butts, and things like that, that can provide additional leads. And I'm hoping that that's what they're doing right now is going through that with a fine tooth comb. Every day I feel Molly's presence with me. You know, sometimes I just feel her sitting on my shoulder. And Molly was an incredibly

strong young woman. And I don't know that I have the strength in me, but Molly's lending me her strength every day, every night. And yes, I have my moments of complete meltdowns but it is through this strength that is somehow and I don't know how being bestowed upon me that I am able to get through every morning every noon every night that is Molly Tibbetts mother speaking about Molly somehow lending her strength during the search for Molly. As you know by now, for those of you just joining us, the search has ended for Molly Tibbetts, an Iowa co-ed, just 20 years old. Her body found in the last hours. Imagine this scene, the medical examiner's vehicle arriving on a rural road south of Brooklyn. Department of Transportation truck blocking the gravel road. It's south of Interstate 80,

but law enforcement have been swarming the area since early, early this morning. Oppressor goes down with the announcement regarding molly's body officials so far have not confirming more regarding the investigation but we do know this joining me right now a renowned medical examiner and author dr michelle dupree drupree, thank you for joining us. We know that there had been five locations of interest named. They were particularly interested in these five spots. This is a very, very densely wooded area, a rural area. What does that tell you, and what should the medical examiner detectives be doing now on the scene? Nancy, thanks for having me.

Yes, the fact that this was very densely wooded and hidden tells me that the person did not want the body to be found quickly. The medical examiner will certainly be looking at the scenes, will be looking for signs of was this crime committed here or was this person dumped here, Was the person murdered someplace else? All of those things they'll be looking for right now. Well, when you recover a body, it's very difficult for me to say those words in connection with Molly Tibbetts because we all feel that we've got to know her and know her family during the search for Molly, when you are recovering a body, let's say from a shallow grave

in a wooded area, in a rural area, everything has to be preserved. For instance, were there truck marks leading to the body, tire marks? If so, those have to have a cast made of them so you can later try to match up those tire marks with the perpetrator's vehicle. When you remove the body from a grave, a shallow grave, you don't take just the body. You take the dirt around the body. Because there could be fibers from, let's just say, carpet or a blanket on that dirt around the body, if not on the body itself. You look to see, is she clothed? Is she unclothed? Because if at any point she were ever unclothed, the killer may have left touch DNA on her clothing when she was reclothed, if she were wrapped in a blanket,

surely there's going to be carpet fibers or touch DNA on that blanket. Under her nails, her fingernails, is there evidence of a fight? Did she scratch the perpetrator? Once that evidence is lost, it is lost forever. So the recovery of Molly and her remains is so crucial. Swabbings regarding her genitalia, her mouth, have to be taken. Is there invaluable DNA there to determine was she assaulted and who did it. Around the scene, as Karen Smith mentioned earlier, is there a cigarette with DNA on it?

Is there a food wrapper with DNA on it? Is there a soda can? Is there anything that could be traced back to Molly's killer? And believe you me, there is a killer. She didn't just jog into this area and drop dead. Uh-uh. Someone murdered this beautiful young girl. And I want that person behind bars.

Nancy, you're so right. We only have one chance to get this right. Once we disturb that scene, then evidence is disturbed forever. So everything that we do from the point of discovering the body to recovering that body to getting that body back to the morgue is very important, and every single thing must be preserved. Joining me right now, a journalist on the story from the very, very beginning, Alexis Tereszczuk. Joining me from RadarOnline.com. Alexis,

this is not the answer we wanted. What do you know? So there was a body that was found and Molly's dad has confirmed that it is her. It's about 20 miles south of Brooklyn. It is a very, very rural area. It's about three miles away from the man, that pig farmer who has been questioned so many times. He has told us it is not on his property, but it is very near there. And there were about 20 police cars. And, in fact, the state medical examiner arrived, and he is there to collect all the evidence. So everybody is there. The scene is secure.

Nobody can get on the road unless you are law enforcement. With me now, Alexis Tereszczuk, RadarOnline.com. You're right, Alexis, throughout the afternoon, the medical examiner has been there with a fleet of medical examiner investigators. The FBI took over this investigation a few days into it. All authorities are there and have been there throughout the day. You know what? I always say there's no coincidence in criminal law. But we know from what Alexis Tereschuk has reported, Molly's father is confirming that this is the body of Molly Tibbetts. What do we know about the father

stating this, Alexis? So the really sad part about this story is, is the dad, the law enforcement had told him that they were working the case and that perhaps the family needed a little semblance of normality. So they said that if he was to go home to California, where he lives in Northern California, it would be okay. And they would contact him. He has been in Brooklyn for over 30 days, every single day, physically out searching for his daughter, trying to find her. He flew home on the same day that they found her body. So he had to turn around and come right back. And so he has confirmed that it is her, that the law enforcement have told him that it is his daughter. That's right. The father of Molly confirming it is Molly's body long before this afternoon's press conference with police. Alexis, I want to talk to you. And joining me right now also is Lee Egan, reporter with CrimeOnline.com.

When she goes jogging, she jogs from one end of town to the next. Would she have jogged along this route? She would not have jogged that far down, no, because it's around 20 miles from where she typically jogs. We are learning in the last hours that Molly's body was found in a densely wooded area. It was confirmed before the police press conference by not only Greg Wiley, the vice president of Crime Stoppers in central Iowa, but also by Molly's own father. This is not the outcome that we wanted. Joining me, Alexis Tereschuk, RadarOnline.com. Alexis, I want to

hear again what you can tell me about the location where her body was found. And then I want to hear from Dr. Michelle Dupree how they are going to determine the cause of death. You start, Alexis, please. So this is about 20 miles south. It's on a rural road and it's a very wooded area. And in fact, what an onlooker has told us at radar is that this is not accessible by a regular vehicle. You could not drive your car to the area where Molly's body has been found. So this is not she was hit when she was jogging on the side of the road. This is not something that was that. There's no way this was a hit and run. Where she was jogging, somebody hit her, she fell, rolled down into a ditch, and stayed there and has just been found.

No, you can't drive to it. It's way off the road in dense, dense woods. What does that say to you? It says a whole lot, Nancy. It says that basically this person is either going to need a four-wheel drive or they're going to be very strong. I mean, if they're either forcing her back there or they're carrying her deceased body back there, they have to be very strong and capable of doing that. They have to know their way in and they have to know their way out. They have to know where they're going and directionality. It's not like we have

street signs in the middle of woods telling you which way to go in and which way to leave. So you're right. This person, whoever did this, is very familiar with the area. And, you know, the crime scene itself is going to tell a story. If there was a shallow grave, that person came with tools. If she was just covered with some brush, that's different. So all of these factors and the teamwork that these investigators are going to have to use is going to be critical to find the answers in this investigation. And to you, Dr. Dupree, how will they determine cause of death?

What do you look for with different types of CODs? Well, Nancy, that's going to depend a lot on the condition of the body. We certainly look for any injuries. That's the first clue. What kind of injuries are they? Is it blunt trauma? Is it sharp force injury? Is it a gunshot wound?

Most of those things we can tell pretty much regardless of the state of the body. If it is something else, perhaps like strangulation or something like that, that may be more difficult. But we are often able to tell the cause of death just based on examining the body. That's why we do an autopsy. The autopsy will be performed with many, many jurisdictions now involved in this investigation. We don't know if the autopsy will be started and completed at the local morgue or if other experts will weigh in. Right now, this is what we know, the body of the Iowa student, Molly Tibbetts, has been found.

How would we determine to you, Karen Smith, if this were the primary, secondary, even tertiary crime scene? That's going to be difficult to figure out. We're dealing with an over a month long time span. So the medical examiner will probably be the best to determine, obviously, the cause of death. But also, you know, are we going to find and I hate to go into these details, but is there a great amount of blood at the crime scene, in other words, where this all happened, that's going to start back at square one again. We have to recover her body, recover the evidence at the scene, and then go back to find out where this happened, if that's possible. At this point, this is the primary crime scene. This is where they have to focus. They have to get everything out of there and then work backwards from there. To Vincent Hill, cop turned private eye also on the case from the get-go. Weigh in, Vincent. Yeah, Nancy, this is going to be just the processing of that crime scene. It's going to be so meticulous because you don't want to miss anything. You touched on fibers.

You touched on all of this evidence, touched DNA. So I suspect investigators will be out there well into the night. Even once Molly's body is moved back to the medical examiner's office, I think they're going to be out there well into the night the next day and maybe a few days after that processing all this evidence so then they can get a starting point of where Molly was either killed, where she killed there or killed somewhere else. It's going to be a very long process, Nancy. Authorities investigating the disappearance of the 20-year-old girl

says the body was found in rural Pauschik County. Up until now, they have been extremely tight-lipped. Listen. Good afternoon. My name is Rick Ron. I'm a special agent in charge with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

I want to thank each and every one of you for coming here today and we wanted to pass along some information to you as well as the community and the nation as a whole. Behind me I have representatives from the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Powisheet County Sheriff's Office. What I'd like to do first is read a brief statement to you and then after that I'll be happy to take as many questions as I can. A first-degree murder charge was filed today in connection with the disappearance of Molly Tibbetts, who was last seen jogging in Brooklyn, Iowa, on July 18, 2018.

A complaint and affidavit names Christian Bahena Rivera, age 24, who resides in rural Poweshiek County, and he has been charged with murder in the first degree. Dozens of law enforcement officials from local, state, and federal agencies were involved in the investigation after the disappearance of Molly Tibbetts. A body was discovered early this morning in a farm field southeast of Brooklyn, Iowa. The identity has not been confirmed. However, we believe it to be the body of Molly Tibbetts. A complaint and affidavit, which will be provided to you, will provide the details and evaluations against Mr. Rivera.

Charges were filed in the Powysheet County District Court. The case will be prosecuted by the Iowa Attorney General's Area Prosecution Division, and first-degree murder carries a penalty of life without the possibility of parole. We have confirmed with Homeland Security Investigations that he is an illegal alien, and we believe he has been in this area now for four to seven years. How did you come into contact with him? How did you get on your radar? Well during the investigation we reached out to the public as you well know and during our neighborhood canvas we came across an individual that had security cameras. We took those cameras he was kind enough to give us the footage from it. And through that, we were able to identify a vehicle that we believe belonged to Mr. Rivera. It was a black Malibu.

And from that, we were able to track his pattern and the routes in which he took. We were also able on this video and we're a that he was one of the la Molly running based on th we were able to see is fr public. I'm sorry. What d you? What do you believe

we were able to pull him in during the investigation. We conducted a lengthy interview with Mr. Rivera. And during that interview, he tells us that he sees Molly running and was able to come upon her, approach her. And while he was interfacing with her, he actually tells us that he ran alongside of her or behind her. And then at one point, he tells us that Molly grabbed a hold of her phone and said, you need to leave me alone. I'm going to call the police. And then she took off running. He, in turn, chased her down. And then he tells us that at some point in time, he blacks out.

And then he comes to near an intersection, which we believe he then placed Molly. Where did this happen? On 385th Street. In what county? In Brooklyn, outside of Brooklyn actually, in the rural county just outside of Brooklyn, Iowa. This side over here, that general area has been searched by investigators the last several weeks. What led you specifically to this area today, this morning? On 385th Street or the location of Molly because there are two different locations.

Actually after we got done interviewing Mr. Rivera he led us to her location and that location was near 460th Street or Avenue in rural Powsheet County. We aren't able to release all the information in the investigation, and so I hope you understand I can't give everything out, and that is one of the things that we're not able to provide at this time. Did they air no molly before? Again, I'm not going to be able to provide certain information. That is one of which I'm not able to provide.

Investigators have been searching this area for weeks. Why was she not found before? Why did it take this much time to be able to provide? Well, I'm sure you've driven around the area and it's it's a rural county and there are a lot of fields, a lot of woods, a lot of ditches. We have certainly had extensive searches throughout the county. We just didn't have success locating her. In this particular case, she was found in a cornfield and there were corn stalks placed over the top of her and so we just weren't able to locate her at this particular part of the investigation yes well we got the the video um a week or two ago and we spent hours going through the video trying to first of all locate

molly on it secondly see if there's anything suspicious following molly which is what we did and so we again spent hours going through that officers did a great job coming up with the timeline i mentioned to you last week that we felt very good about our timeline that just confirmed our timeline that we had and then again we were able to determine what vehicle was following Molly. We identified that vehicle belonging to Mr. Rivera, and then we located him, interviewed him, and subsequently he led us to her location. You said two weeks ago you got this video.

How long have you been talking to this suspect before finally... We first approached Mr. Rivera yesterday. Did he put up a fight at all when you got to the porch? No, he was very compliant. He was willing to talk with us. And so there was no, as you said, fight. There was no fight or any struggle of any kind. Does Mr. Rivera have a criminal background, any charges in his past? Again, I won't be able to release some of that information at this time. Do you think he's a translator?

Yes. We believe he is, yes. His name, again, his name will be listed on the complaint affidavit along with the photograph, so we can provide that for you later. Yes. Can't really speak to that at this point. As I mentioned to you before, we're doing some more interviews. We're trying to get as much background on Mr. Rivera as possible,

and so I don't have all the answers for you on that. But I know that he was working, and beyond that, I'm not sure what he was doing, coming and going. Do you think he was aware of all the reports that he found? Again, there are certain parts of the investigation I will not be able to release, and that happens to be one of them I won't be able to speak on. You had a question here? What about the reward money that crime stoppers has? What about the reward money? I'm sorry?

What happens now with that reward money that was collected by crime stoppers? That's not for me to say. I don't play a role in that, so I'm not sure what will happen with the money or the reward. Did he say this is the first time he had seen Molly's individualist, in case he was stalking her previously? I can tell you that he tells us that he had seen her before, but beyond that, I won't be able to say any more about his interactions with Mrs. Tibbs. the family, but you guys have been working on this day in and day out, and you get a completion today or early this morning. Can you talk about what that's like?

These are hard. I mean, we get to know the family. We get to know Molly. We just spoke with the family, and I told them that they raised a great daughter. I mean, she was a phenomenal individual, and so we are saddened for the family. It is difficult on the investigators. However, that's what we're paid to do and we try to do as best as we possibly can. We're just happy that we're able to locate him, get him charged, and then hopefully come out with a successful conclusion, that being a conviction. As we understand it, based on our investigation, he followed her around,

circled around a couple of times, located her, and then began to interface with her at some point in time on 385th Street. I'm sorry. Well, they're appreciative that we were able to find her, but obviously it's difficult. It's hard on them. They're struggling like any family would, but they have a great support system, and part of that support system is the community. Now, I have to say that the community here has been phenomenal.

They have been of great assistance to the investigation and to the family, and so they will get through it, I'm sure. It's going to be hard, but we will be there for them. have been of great assist and to the family. And so through it. I'm sure it's we will be there for him. where she was found is on believe the running route running was on 385th stre things that won't be able

investigation. Yes. Well, we know that she was abducted on the 18th, and beyond that we wouldn't be able to provide that information. I'm surprised by the fact that he didn't try to flee. I can't speak. I mean, I don't know what he was thinking and what his mind process was, so I can't really speak to that. I mean, yeah, I don't have an answer to that. Yes, sir.

Can you talk specifically about the motive of what he did? So you're asking me about the motive? Well, again, I can't really speak about the motive. As you said, I can just tell you that it seemed that he followed her and seemed to be drawn to her on that particular day. And for whatever reason, he chose to abduct her. So I can't speak other than that. Sir, did you detect any signs of a struggle?

Did you see any bruises on Molly's body? Can't speak to that as well because we don't want to be able to relate to that information at this time. I can tell you that an autopsy was going to be performed that will assist us. That autopsy is going to take place tomorrow up in Ankeny at the state medical examiner's office and so we will wait those results. Sometimes that takes a while and that'll aid us as well in the investigation. How long do you think she was dead? I can't speak to that as well. Again, that goes with the state medical examiner's examination of Molly. The best surveillance video of the break in the case, and for a month we've been asking the public for tips and help.

Without that video, we may never know what happened to Molly. The video was critical. I'll put it that way. Again, we have talked to hundreds of people. Over 4,000 leads came in on this investigation. And so it was extremely helpful. Let's put it that way. Is Mr. Rivera someone who was well-known in the community?

Did he last people know him, or did he kind of do it himself? As I understand it, he pretty much kept himself. Did he face any previous security orders? That would be a question to be answered by Homeland Security Investigation, not I. Anything you can tell us about Rivera's role in the community here? Did he work here? Had he been here for a long time? He was employed here, and again, as I previously mentioned, he was here, we believe, anywhere between four to seven years,

but beyond that, I don't have any additional information. Yes, sir. Did you have a question? Do you have any information? Well, the investigation is ongoing, like I said, and we're going to continue to look at a number of different individuals and people, continue to collect facts, and at this point, though, I can tell you he's the only one that has been charged with first-degree murder. So I know you said that you can't say anything.

You said he's been here for at least seven years. Did you say anything about his employment history? I would choose not to do that at this point, no. Is he being held here at the jail or in the house? Here at the Palasheek County Jail. Yes, sir. It seemed like you placed the body there immediately or did you try to conceal it out of fair fire? Again, those are certain facts that I wouldn't be able to release at this time. As I previously mentioned, we continue to run out leads, we continue to gather facts,

we continue to analyze evidence, and we'll be able to have some of those questions for you as things go on. I've got about one more question for you. I'm sorry? Autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow. However, it takes a while to get the results, and so that might take anywhere up to four to six weeks. We just can't predict that. But the autopsy will be tomorrow. You talk so much about the Fitbit. Was that helpful at all? I can tell you that we, as I have said previously, that we examined her digital footprint. And certainly that played a role in our investigation. One last question. That's it.

Well, certainly it helped to run with others, not to run alone. But, I mean, this is a small community. Everybody knew everybody. And certainly she has been running for months, years, and not had any problem that we're aware of. And so this is sadly a tragic event. And we hope that it wouldn't occur any time in the near future. Thank you. And, Nancy, with the end of the news conference,

investigators have given us a copy of the arrest affidavit. That's the sworn document that they used to take Rivera into custody and now charging him with the murder of Molly Tibbetts. And to review some of this that's in here, one of the more interesting things is he acknowledges, he admits that he saw her jogging in Brooklyn, pulled his Chevrolet Malibu to the side of the road, and then ran behind her. And apparently he frightened her. Rivera says that Molly told him, I'm going to call the police. And she grabbed her phone. That's when Rivera says a panic attack was triggered. He says he panicked, got mad, and then, quote, blocked his memory. He told investigators that happens to him when he gets upset.

He just doesn't remember anything after that. He says he then, when he came to finally, he saw that there was an earplug, some headphones in his lap, and that's when he realized he put her body in his trunk. He opened the trunk and saw that she was there with blood on the side of her head and that he dragged her out of his car, out of the trunk, into a cornfield about 20 yards and left her covered under some corn leaves face up. He said he then drove back to Brooklyn. But it was apparently yesterday on the 21st that Rivera led law enforcement to that location where they located the remains of Molly Tibbetts. We learn today the search is over for Molly.

Her body has been found in a densely wooded area. Joining me, Karen Smith, forensics expert, Joe Scott Morgan, death investigator, cop-turned-PI, Vincent Hill, Troy Slayton, veteran defense attorney, Dr. Michelle Dupree, medical examiner, author, forensics expert. Also joining me, Alexis Tereszczuk, RadarOnline.com, and Lee Egan, CrimeOnline.com reporters. Prayers being lifted up now for Molly Tibbetts' family. Molly, rest in peace. Every day I feel Molly's presence with me. You know, sometimes I just feel her sitting on my shoulder.

And Molly was an incredibly strong young woman. And I don't know that I have the strength in me, but Molly's lending me her strength every day, every night. And yes, I have my moments of complete meltdowns, but it is through this strength that is somehow, and I don't know how, being bestowed upon me that I am able to get through every morning, every noon, every night. Nancy Grace, Crime Story, signing off. Goodbye, friend.

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