An immigrant charged in the fatal stabbing of an Iowa college student has hired new defense lawyers. Attorneys Chad and Jennifer Frese filed paperwork Sunday to represent Cristhian Bahena Rivera, who is accused in the killing of 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts. They’re expected to replace attorney Allan Richards, who called President Trump “sad and sorry” for labeling his client guilty before trial.
Rivera, a dairy worker suspected of being in the U.S. illegally, was charged with murder last week. Richards says Rivera’s family hired him and that he hasn’t spoken with Rivera about being replaced. Richards says he understands if Rivera wants attorneys with more criminal trial experience. Jennifer Frese confirmed today (Monday), that the two have been privately retained to represent Rivera.

The father of Mollie Tibbetts, whose body was found last week in a central Iowa cornfield, asked hundreds of mourners to remember the 20-year-old by “celebrating something wonderful” rather than focusing on how she died. Tibbetts was memorialized Sunday afternoon at a ceremony in the gymnasium of Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom High School in her hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa. Rob Tibbetts urged congregants to remember his daughter’s passion for life and her desire to help others. To highlight his call to celebrate “wonderful” things, Tibbetts recognized a couple who had just married the day before during his eulogy.