Who Is Iris Monarrez? Who Is Iris Monarrez? Cristhian Rivera was arrested and charged with the murder of Iowa colleges student Mollie Tibbetts who was missing for a month. The suspected killer was arrested and charged on Aug. 21 after security cameras led authorities to his car. When apprehended, Rivera led police to Tibbetts' body, which was hidden under corn stalks. He explained to investigators that he parked his car and ran alongside the 20-year-old and when Tibbetts threatened to call police, he blacked out. He added that he came to only to discover the college student's body in his trunk so he disposed of her in a cornfield 15 minutes from where she went missing. Rivera is not friends with Tibbetts on Facebook but has one friend in common with her — his ex. Facebook A woman Rivera was once romantically involved with is friends with Tibbetts and some of her family members on Facebook. Iris Monarrez, the mother of Rivera's child, is friends with the slain college student as well as her brothers, Scott Tibbetts and Jake Tibbetts. It is not confirmed how she is connected to them, although they may have attended the same high school. A Brooklyn, Guernsey, and Malcom High School newsletter mentions both Monarrez and Tibbetts. In 2012, Monarrez posted, "That moment when you feel like you got no one there for you." Tibbetts commented "??" on the status, basically confirming the two knew each other and were more than acquaintances. RELATED: Why Did Cristhian Rivera Kill Mollie Tibbetts? New Details On The Murder Of The 20-Year-Old Iowa Student These small details had police wondering if she was involved in Tibbetts' murder. Monarrez and Rivera began dating in 2013 and had a baby together before reportedly splitting in 2015. Photos and comments over the years prove the two were involved romantically. Story continues Facebook In 2014, Monarrez posted a photo with Rivera and captioned it with heart emojis. When she uploaded a new selfie, Rivera called her his princess in the comments. He also linked himself to Monarrez on his page. Rivera posted a photo of a baby and tagged his ex-girlfriend. Monarrez has not been publicly active on her Facebook page in three years, but the former partners reportedly haven't spoken since 2015. RELATED: Who Is Cristhian Rivera? New Details About The Man Charged With Murdering Mollie Tibbetts Facebook ​Despite the coincidental links, authorities have confirmed she's not a suspect in the case. Rivera, an illegal immigrant who has been in the U.S. for four to seven years, is the sole suspect in the murder of Tibbetts. According to surveillance video footage that authorities spend hours reviewing, he was possibly the last person to see Tibbetts alive. The videos were used to create a timeline of her disappearance and led police to Rivera. He is charged with murder in the first degree and could face life in prison without parole. RELATED: Cristhian Rivera Mugshot Photo, Plus New Details About His Arrest For Murdering Mollie Tibbetts ​Sarah Gangraw is a travel-addicted cat lady who lives on black coffee and cheese. She has a degree in journalism and writes about all things news, entertainment and crime. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter — she's occasionally funny. Keywords: mollie tibbetts, Cristhian Rivera, mollie tibbetts murder, entertainment and news read more<doc-sep>In the courtroom Wednesday where Cristhian Rivera stood accused of the murder of Mollie Tibbetts were his 3-year-old daughter and the girl’s mother — a high school classmate of the slain woman. Iris Monarrez attended Brooklyn, Guernsey, and Malcom High School in Brooklyn, Iowa, at the same time as Tibbetts, the New York Post reports. Monarrez was a year ahead of Tibbetts at school, graduating in 2016, according to a school yearbook obtained by the Daily Mail. Monarrez was a cheerleader there; Tibbetts was on the cross-country team. They were close enough acquaintances that Tibbetts commented on at least one of Monarrez’s Facebook posts. Related Articles Medical examiner says Mollie Tibbetts died from stab wounds Suspect in Mollie Tibbetts’ killing tells police about her final moments Posts on social media accounts indicate Monarrez was dating Rivera while she was in high school, the Post said. They apparently split up in 2015, the year their child was born. Rivera, 24, has been charged with killing Tibbetts, 20, a student at the University of Iowa. She was missing for more than a month before her body was found Tuesday in a cornfield near Brooklyn.<doc-sep>Preliminary autopsy reports show that murdered Iowa college student Mollie Tibbetts died of “multiple sharp force injuries,” according to multiple reports. The manner of death was homicide, according to the state medical examiner. Tibbetts’ accused murderer, Cristhian Bahena Rivera, a 24-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico, is being held in lieu of $5 million cash-only bail in Poweshiek County Jail. The ME released the following update through a statement on Thursday, according to the Des Moines Register: The Iowa State Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy yesterday, August 22, 2018, on the body confirmed to be Mollie Tibbetts, and drew some preliminary conclusions. The State Medical Examiner determined that the manner of death was homicide resulting from multiple sharp force injuries. Further examination may result in additional findings. Autopsy reports are confidential under Iowa law, except for the cause and manner of death. (Iowa Code § 22.7(4)(c)). Cristhian Bahena Rivera has been charged in the Iowa District Court for Poweshiek County with Murder in the First Degree. Iowa courts have established rules limiting the release of information regarding an individual who has been criminally charged in a state court. The rules are designed to protect a defendant’s interests in a fair trial that could be affected by media attention to the facts in the case. Court proceedings are open to the public, in almost all circumstances, and those formal proceedings are the primary method for communicating information about the case. Given that criminal charges have been filed in state court, the Division of Criminal Investigation does not intend to grant individual interviews with members of the media, and will conduct a limited number of press conferences while the case is pending in the Iowa District Court. It was also reported on Thursday that Rivera had a connection to Tibbetts: He fathered a child with Tibbetts’ former schoolmate. Tibbetts went missing on July 18; investigators believe Rivera abducted her when he saw her out on a run that day. Her body was only found on Tuesday, more than a month after her disappearance.<doc-sep>On Tuesday, Rivera led police to Mollie Tibbetts' body. She had been missing since July 18 Accused killer Cristhian Rivera left another girl fearing for her life after he tailed her in his car and tried to flirt with her - in a chilling echo of the Mollie Tibbetts murder. Rivera pulled alongside the 17-year-old in his car as she walked through Brooklyn, Iowa, the same rural town where he would later be accused of following and abducting Mollie in strikingly similar fashion. The girl's older sibling Bailey Gibson, 18, told DailyMail.com her younger sister was 'creeped' out by Rivera's advances as he told her she was pretty and tried to get her to stop. 'I know Cristhian from my sister. She thought he was a nice, well-spoken person. They hung out a few times but nothing really happened romantically,' she said. 'She told me that a little while ago he drove up to her while she was walking through Brooklyn. He told her she was really pretty and things like that. Scroll down for video Bailey Gibson, 18, told DailyMail.com her younger sister was 'creeped' out by Rivera's advances as he told her she was pretty and tried to get her to stop Rivera is shown leaving court on Wednesday in a prison jumpsuit. He appeared to be wearing a protective vest beneath it 'It was more flirty than sexual but my sister is very shy. She didn’t appreciate it. Even though she knew him a little she felt unsafe and didn't want to talk to him. 'In the end she was really creeped-out by his behavior. She had to keep telling him she wasn't interested.' Gibson said Rivera eventually left her sister alone and she didn't think anything more about it until she read how the accused killer had allegedly followed Mollie in his black Chevy Malibu while she was out jogging on July 18. Mexican national Rivera, who authorities say is an illegal immigrant and whose employer say used a fake name and someone else’s ID and Social Security number to get a job, appeared in court Wednesday charged with Mollie’s murder and was held on $5million bond. Rivera said nothing other than answering yes and no to his interpreter when prompted. If convicted, Rivera could face deportation or life imprisonment without parole. The judge on Thursday said he may also have to register as a sex offender. It is not yet clear how Mollie died or whether she was sexually assaulted thought Rivera was told during his court appearance Tuesday that he would be placed on the sex offender registry for life if convicted of murder Rivera's three-year-old daughter was in the public gallery along with her 25-year-old mother Rivera's girlfriend Iris Monarrez is seen in a yearbook photos above. She was dating Rivera throughout her years at the school Rivera, who has been in the US illegally for between four and seven years, admits he followed Mollie and got mad when she tried calling the police - but says he 'blacked out' and can't remember attacking her. He said he found her in the trunk of his car with blood coming from her head and hid the 20-year-old's body in a field. Rivera was identified by surveillance footage obtained in the last couple of weeks that showed him following the student in his car and Mollie running ahead of him. It is not yet clear how Mollie died or whether she was sexually assaulted thought Rivera was told during his court appearance Tuesday that he would be placed on the sex offender registry for life if convicted of murder. 'It all clicked when we heard the news. It's so scary to think he did something similar with my sister,' added Bailey, who asked that her sibling not be named. Monarrez (is seen above outside court today) is friends on Facebook with Mollie Tibbetts and her brothers Scott and Jake Rivera's girlfriend Iris Monarrez was also in court Tuesday to support him, clutching the child they had together in 2015. Monarrez is friends on Facebook with Mollie Tibbetts and her brothers Scott and Jake. DailyMail.com can reveal she attended the same school, Brooklyn, Guernsey, and Malcom High, as Mollie but was in the year above. She was dating Rivera throughout her years at the school, raising the possibility that Rivera knew of Mollie years before he abducted and allegedly killed her. Iris Monarrez was on the cheerleading squad and is seen in this yearbook photo circled above Monarrez declined to speak to reporters as she left court Tuesday. She is seen above in yearbook photos Mollie and Iris actually appear on opposite sides of the same page in the 2015-16 edition of the ‘Make It Count’ yearbook. Mollie is seen circled on the left and Iris right hand page 'Iris was very quiet, she kept to her friends. From what I can see she was a really nice person, shy but kind. She didn’t stick out,' added Bailey. 'I'm sure she's as shocked as we are.' Brooklyn, Guernsey, and Malcom High School only has around 250 pupils making it likely that Mollie and Monarrez knew one another. Monarrez graduated in 2016, a year ahead of Mollie, and was on the school’s cheerleader squad. Mollie, meanwhile, ran track and competed on the school debate team. The pair actually appear on opposite sides of the same page in the 2015-16 edition of the ‘Make It Count’ yearbook. Monarrez declined to speak to reporters as she left court Tuesday. 'Iris was very quiet, she kept to her friends. From what I can see she was a really nice person, shy but kind. She didn’t stick out,' added Bailey (pictured) Brooklyn, Guernsey, and Malcom High School only has around 250 pupils making it likely that Mollie and Monarrez knew one another. The school is seen above<doc-sep>
The shaken former girlfriend who turned up to support the alleged killer of Mollie Tibbetts at his first court appearance has told friends: ‘I only went for the sake of our daughter.’ Iris Monarrez says she split up with Cristhian Bahena Rivera two years ago but stayed in close contact with him because of their little girl, Jamilet, three. Monarrez took Jamilet with her when she attended Poweshiek County Court Wednesday to see alleged illegal immigrant Rivera, 24, face a first-degree murder charge. The toddler cried out and repeatedly asked her mom what was happening as her father was led into the courtroom in shackles and a jail-issue striped jumpsuit. 'Iris wanted to go because of her daughter. At the end of the day that's her little girl's father and she may not be able to see him for a very long time,' dished a confidante. Cristhian Rivera's ex-girlfriend Iris Monarrez, with whom he shares a daughter, says she split up with Rivera two years ago but stayed in close contact with him because of their little girl, Jamilet, three. Monarrez took Jamilet with her when she attended Poweshiek County Court Wednesday to see alleged illegal immigrant Rivera, 24, face a first-degree murder charge Rivera worked on a dairy farm less than four miles from where Mollie's body was found Tuesday under a pile of cornstalks, some 34 days after she vanished while on her evening jog 'Iris has been balling her eyes out. She's having a really bad time but her family are all rallying around her. Jamilet is everyone's priority now - not Cristhian.' Mollie and Monarrez lived around two miles from one another in Brooklyn, Iowa and both went to Brooklyn, Guernsey, and Malcom High School only which only has around 250 pupils. Monarrez graduated in 2016, a year ahead of Mollie, and was on the school’s cheerleader squad. Mollie, meanwhile, ran track and competed on the school debate team. The pair actually appear on opposite sides of the same page in the 2015-16 edition of the ‘Make It Count’ yearbook. Monarrez was dating Rivera between 2013 and 2015 however investigators don't think the high school connection brought Rivera into direct contact with Mollie. They think it's more likely the Mexican National had only seen her on a handful of occasions, possibly when she was out jogging or on social media. 'I don't know if Iris and Mollie were close friends at school but she obviously heard about her going missing,' the friend of Iris added. 'She's just really sad about what happened to Mollie. Everyone is.' On Tuesday, Rivera led police to Mollie Tibbetts' body. She had been missing since July 18 Rivera worked on a dairy farm less than four miles from where Mollie's body was found Tuesday under a pile of cornstalks, some 34 days after she vanished while on her evening jog. After investigators identified him as the driver of a suspicious vehicle seen following her, Rivera confessed to trying to speak to Mollie, chasing her down on foot, then 'getting mad' when she tried to dial 911. He told investigators he 'blacked out' and can't remember what he did but said he came round shortly afterwards, found her body in the trunk of his Chevy Malibu and hid it in a field, according to charging documents. Autopsy results have since confirmed that the 20-year-old college student's death was a homicide caused by 'multiple sharp force injuries'. Rivera has not been charged with any type of sexual offence but the Iowa Department of Public Safety has warned that 'further examination may result in additional findings'. Those examinations could take a further six to eight weeks, according to a law enforcement source. The 5ft 6in defendant was also warned in court that he could be placed on the sex offender registry for life when the case concludes, as well as being deported. Federal authorities believe Rivera, originally from the Mexican Pacific Coast town of Guayabillo, has been in the US illegally for between four and seven years. Rivera, 24, was living in a trailer on a remote plot of land located four miles from where Mollie Tibbetts was abducted while jogging Friends of his told DailyMail.com he crossed the border around six years ago with a cousin, although Rivera’s attorney Allan Richards has insisted his client is in the US lawfully. Rivera's employer for the past four years, Yarrabee Farms, said he applied for his job using false name and social security number.