On the night of July 18th, 2018, a student’s routine jog would become one of the fastest developing and tragic stories of the year. A twenty-year-old college student at the University of Iowa, Mollie Tibbetts, was brutally murdered in the small town of Brooklyn, Iowa. She was last seen by her boyfriend, and when she didn’t show up to work on July 19th, her loved ones started to worry. She was reported missing later that day.

During the weeks of the search and investigation, investigators received 2,300 tips and conducted 500 interviews. After more than a month, her body was found August 21st, hidden among the rows of corn that submerge Iowa’s terrain. Ironically, the person who killed her was the one who ultimately led authorities to the body. Twenty-four-year-old Cristhian Bahena Rivera was charged with the crime after confessing to the murder.

The preliminary autopsy released August 23rd, reported that she died from “multiple sharp force injuries”, according to TIME Magazine. The death was ruled a homicide. Currently, Rivera is being held on a five million dollar bail, and if convicted he will face life in prison without parole. Rivera had been living in the United States illegally for 4 to 7 years and had spent his time working on a dairy farm prior to the murder. According to CBS News, his employer claims Rivera had passed a government screening test that allowed him to work in the States. Rivera’s attorney gave a statement saying people should allow Rivera to have his own day at court – to not prejudge the defendant before his trial.

This news only fed the ever-growing fire of immigration policies being debated all across the country. Conservatives have used Tibbett’s story as an example to exemplify the growing numbers of illegal immigrants in our country and how we should be moving faster to keep them out. On the other hand, liberals have accused conservatives of fearmongering, citing sources and studies that have proven that illegal immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than legal citizens of the country. Tibbett’s family members wish for politicians to not use Mollie Tibbett’s story as an example of why we should keep people out, but as a way to help commemorate her outgoing, fun, and loving personality.

Tibbett’s friends and family have been remembering and celebrating her life since her body was found. Her service was held at her high school in Iowa, and the family encouraged positive thoughts and memories to remember her passion for life. Nearly a thousand people were in attendance.

In Tibbett’s community, runners began using the hashtag #MilesforMollie. Her brother has been sporting her initials while playing high school football to remember his sister’s life. Tibbett’s families’ main objective at this time is to remember her life and the wonderful person she was.

The next time you notice that your friend hasn’t responded in an unusually long period of time, take a couple minutes out of your day to check up on them. If you run for enjoyment, make sure you are aware of your surroundings and if you can, try and run with a friend. If these actions would’ve been taken in Mollie Tibbett’s case, this tragedy could’ve been avoided.