MONTEZUMA, Iowa (NBCNC) – The man accused of killing 20-year-old college student Mollie Tibbetts appeared in court Wednesday.
24-year-old Cristhian Bahena Rivera made his initial court appearance in Montezuma, Iowa, charged with first-degree murder in the death of Tibbetts.
A judge also ordered a $5 million bond for his release.
Rivera led officials to Tibbetts’ body Tuesday in a cornfield, some 12 miles from where the University of Iowa student was last seen.
Tibbetts was last seen July 18th in Brooklyn as she was on a routine evening jog.
Officials say they closed in on Rivera after obtaining footage from surveillance cameras.
The footage showed a vehicle connected to Rivera driving back and forth as Tibbetts was running.
Rivera is scheduled to be in court for a preliminary hearing on August 31st.
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