'The Last Day,' Dateline's new documentary series, premieres with episode on Mollie Tibbetts

Virginia Barreda
Des Moines Register

Dateline's new documentary series "The Last Day" premiered this week with an episode about the killing of 20-year-old Iowan Mollie Tibbetts. 

The search for Tibbetts — and the subsequent discovery of her murder — gripped the state and garnered national attention in the summer of 2018. 

The rising sophomore psychology student at the University of Iowa went out for a jog on July 18, 2018, in her hometown of Brooklyn, and was never seen alive again.

After being interviewed by police, Cristhian Bahena Rivera led authorities to Tibbetts' body in a Poweshiek County cornfield. Officials announced the discovery and Bahena's arrest on charges of first-degree murder on Aug. 21, 2018.

More:The untold story of Mollie Tibbetts’ final moments — and her family’s 3-year struggle to reclaim her memory

A jury found Bahena Rivera guilty of first-degree murder on May 28, 2021, after a two-week trial in Scott County. He was sentenced to life in prison on Aug. 30, 2021.

Dateline: The Last Day's first episode "The Case of Mollie Tibbetts" is available for streaming now on Peacock. The series also features the cases of Nathan Paet and Kelsie Schelling.

The murder of Mollie Tibbetts:What to know about Iowa woman, Cristhian Bahena Rivera

Virginia Barreda is a trending and general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2