Nation Mollie Tibbetts murder case: Judge denies Cristhian Bahena Rivera’s request for new trial August 3, 2021 William Morris, Des Moines Register Comments Off on Mollie Tibbetts murder case: Judge denies Cristhian Bahena Rivera’s request for new trial A judge rejected a motion to retry Cristhian Bahena Rivera in Mollie Tibbetts' death, clearing the path for him to be sentenced in the 2018 murder.