Home Security Camera Footage Leads to Arrest in Mollie Tibbets Case

Home Security Camera Footage Leads to Arrest in Mollie Tibbets Case

Police were able to track down a suspect after receiving security camera footage from a home near the site where Mollie Tibbetts disappeared.

The country has been mystified by the recent disappearance of Mollie Tibbetts, a college student in Iowa. Police on the case investigated for over a month before getting a break in the case they needed to finally give the Tibbetts family some answers.

Investigators spoke with hundreds of people in the search for clues about Tibbett's disappearance, but it wasn't until a neighbor turned over his home security camera that police caught their big break.

Police watched hours of footage before spotting Tibbetts on camera. They could see her running through an area east of Brooklyn, Iowa, where she was last seen, and a car moving closely behind her, according to an affidavit.

Police were able to link the car to a 24-year-old man and "from that we were able to track his pattern in the routes in which he took," said Rick Rahn, a special agent in charge at the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Because of the home security footage, police were able to question the suspect, who then led investigators to the place where police eventually found Tibbetts' body. Rahn told news stations on Wednesday that the video was "central" to finding the suspect in Tibbetts' disappearance.

"He certainly wasn't known to the local police department," Rahn said. "So we, through our interviews and conducting a number of different canvas interviews throughout the community, we weren't aware of him until we were able to locate the video. So it's not like he was on anybody's radar throughout the investigation."

Police departments across the country have started to see the value in home security cameras, with many systems now allowing home owners to download and send footage directly to police to aid in open investigations.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.