In July of 2018, 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts went on a run in her small hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa. Something she’d done countless times before. But this time, she didn’t come home.
What followed was a search unlike anything this town had ever seen. Neighbors combed the fields. Reporters camped out at the local diner. And as the weeks stretched on without answers, the questions only grew louder: How does someone vanish without a trace in a town this small? Who could have seen something and stayed silent?
Today, we’re digging into the first chapter of Mollie’s story, a case that began as a missing persons search and grew into something bigger: an investigation that transformed a town and captured the attention of a nation.
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Please be aware that today’s episode contains a very brief reference to stalking. Please take care while listening.
Mollie Tibbetts.
Mollie Tibbetts and her boyfriend Dalton Jack.
“Laura Calderwood and Rob Tibbetts, the parents of missing of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts, hold each other during a press conference for the “Bring Mollie Tibbetts Home Safe” reward fund in Brooklyn, Iowa, Aug. 2, 2018.”
Mollie Tibbetts missing poster.
A full transcript of this episode is available here.
Action Items Related to Today’s Episode:
Before Mollie disappeared, she lived a full vibrant and life. She was a student at the University of Iowa, passionate about working with children and pursuing a degree in psychology. Mollie was also deeply creative—she was a writer, a stage performer, and a competitive speaker.
Established in 2018, the fund supports the Stead Family Children’s Hospital at the University of Iowa. Since its inception, more than 1,200 donors have raised over $129,000 to benefit mental health programs, including art therapy, music therapy, and other critical services for children.
Thanks to the fund, the hospital has been able to purchase MP3 players for music therapy sessions, create holiday care packages for patients, and expand outpatient art therapy programs.
To learn more or make a donation, visit the Memorial Fund website here.
