(Montezuma, Iowa) -- A judge is considering new evidence in the murder case of Cristhian Rivera, as Rivera's lawyers try to cast doubt on his guilt for the murder of Mollie Tibbetts.
The defense and the prosecution questioned several witnesses today, including Keokuk County inmate Arne Maki, who said a fellow inmate admitted to killing Mollie Tibbetts. Maki claims inmate Gavin Jones confessed to murdering Tibbetts and framing Rivera as part of a sex trafficking operation.
Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Trent Vileta says during the investigation, it was Rivera who confessed to the murder. Vileta says the investigation revealed no credible links to sex trafficking.
Rivera's lawyers are asking for a new trial. In May of this year, Rivera was convicted of killing Tibbetts near her hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa in July of 2018. Rivera was scheduled to be sentenced this month, but the judge in the case postponed sentencing until the new evidence was presented.