Iowa student vanished nearly a week ago. Family waits for answers as investigation continues
A 20-year-old woman vanished in a small city in eastern Iowa, and her family says they’re still seeking answers as the search for her continues nearly one week later.
Mollie Tibbetts was last seen going on a jog near Brooklyn on the night of July 18, authorities say. She was wearing gym shorts, a black sports bra and running shoes.
Dalton Jack, her boyfriend of nearly three years, told KCRG he was out of town for work — more than 100 miles away in Dubuque — when Tibbetts went missing.
But before she disappeared, Jack said Tibbetts had been at his house, watching his dogs. He said he opened a Snapchat selfie from her at around 10 p.m. July 18, according to WOI.
“It was just a selfie with a caption, and I don’t remember what the caption said, but it looked like she was inside,” Jack told WOI in an interview.
He sent her a text early the next morning, but as he told KCRG, it appeared she never read his message, and as he learned later that day, Tibbetts didn’t show up for work.
After repeated phone calls and messages went unanswered, her family reported her missing on July 19.
“It is not at all like her to run off or disappear,” Tibbetts’ mother, Laura Calderwood told The Gazette. “This is completely out of character for her.”
But family and friends haven’t given up faith.
In an update posted to the “Finding Mollie Tibbetts” Facebook group on Tuesday, Sandi Tibbetts Murphy wrote the family had no news to share, and that law enforcement “continues to work so very hard” to bring Tibbetts home. Meanwhile, friends and relatives say they’re still working to get Tibbett’s information and photos out to the public in an effort to find her. The group has more than 23,000 members.
“We remain so grateful for the efforts that all of you have given to find Mollie! We know her flyers are posted across the country, truck drivers and motorcycle groups are sharing her information, and there have hundreds of thousands of tweets and Facebook shares,” Murphy said in a statement on the Facebook page Tuesday. “PLEASE continue these efforts so that Mollie’s story stays at the top of newsfeeds and pages!”
Since she was reported missing, state and federal agencies have gotten involved in the case that’s captured national attention.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations and the FBI have joined in on the investigation and are also asking for the public’s help.
“We want the best possible outcome for this, which is for Mollie to come home safely,” Mitch Mortvedt, an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations spokesman, told The Gazette. “We’re asking for the assistance of anyone who has seen Mollie or had any contact whatsoever with her. And, if she is somewhere on her own accord, we would ask that she reaches out and lets us know she’s OK.”
Her aunt, Kim Calderwood, says Tibbetts has been involved in various activities. During her time in high school, Tibbetts was on the track and debate teams, she told The Des Moines Register. More recently, Tibbetts’ Facebook indicates she is a day camp intern at Grinnell Regional Medical Center.
The college student is expected to return to the University of Iowa campus in the fall for her sophomore year of college where she’s studying psychology, according to her Facebook page.
“Our thoughts are with Mollie Tibbetts’ family and friends,” the university wrote in a brief statement on Twitter July 20. “The University of Iowa is monitoring the situation and will offer support as needed.”
Tibbetts is described by authorities as a white female about 5-feet 3-inches tall and weighing 120 pounds.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office at 641-623-5679 or email tips@poweshiekcosheriff.com.
“It’s frustrating; it’s powerless,” Tibbett’s aunt told The Des Moines Register earlier this week. “We’re wracking our brains, thinking what can we think of to tell the investigators. It’s the worst thing ... to want to fix something you can’t fix.”
This story was originally published July 24, 2018 at 4:19 PM.