Cops grill hog farmer with stalking charges for hours about missing Mollie Tibbetts: Report

Just days before authorities searched an area close to a hog farm between Guernsey and Deep River on Thursday, they questioned a local hog farmer who has a history of stalking women.

“I don’t know who those two were but they took me down to the fire station Tuesday and questioned me for two hours,” Deep River resident and reported hog farmer, Wayne Cheney, told WHO13. “I don’t remember what they asked me.”

Cheney was referring to investigators who arrived at his doorstep on Tuesday and questioned him about the disappearance of 20-year-old missing University of Iowa student, Mollie Tibbetts. According to court documents, Cheney has at least two stalking charges on his record, one of which resulted in a protective order against him.

Cheney also lives within walking distance of his family’s hog farm, TLC, which authorities searched days prior to questioning him.

“I just thought it was a waste of time but oh well,” Cheney retorted.

After investigators took Cheney to local fire station to question him, they searched his cellphone, garage, and his home, according to FOX.

Cheney said he doesn’t know Mollie and doesn’t know anyone in her family, and didn’t have anything to do with her involvement. Authorities didn’t say whether he’s considered a suspect or not.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Iowa authorities searched another area close to a hog farm between Guernsey and Deep River on Thursday.

According to ABC9, property owners off of off of Highway 21 in Poweshiek County reported heavy police presence in the area on Thursday afternoon. Earlier this week, investigators confirmed they were “confident” in the findings on Mollie’s “digital footprints after checking her social media accounts, laptop, FitBit watch data, and cellphone.

However, authorities did not confirm if the information would lead them to any specific area.

Timeline of Mollie’s disappearance

  • Mollie’s boyfriend saw her for the last time on July 16, before leaving town to work at a Dubuque construction site with his brother, around 100 miles away from Brooklyn.
  • On July 17, Dalton and his brother, who lives with him, drove to work. Mollie agreed to dog-sit while he was gone.
  • At around 5:30 p.m. on July 17, Mollie’s brother, Jake Tibbetts, who shares a car with her, dropped her off at Dalton’s home. Mollie stayed alone while watching the dogs.

July 18

  • Investigators report another neighbor reported Mollie out for a jog at around 7:30 p.m. on July 18.
  • Mollie had plans to go to her mother’s house for dinner on the evening on July 18. She never showed up.
  • At 10 p.m. on July 18, Dalton opened the SnapChat message from Mollie. He said it looked like she took the photo while indoors. It’s unclear when Mollie took the picture but detectives think she took it at some point on Wednesday.

July 19

  • Jake Tibbetts, who has been cleared as a suspect, sends Mollie a text message at 7:30 a.m., asking if she needed the car for work. The text message was not read.
  • Dalton sends Mollie a text message, wishing her a good morning. Mollie does not read the text message.
  • Mollie’s mother, Laura Calderwood, sends Mollie several text messages throughout the afternoon. All text messages remain unanswered.
  • Jake Tibbetts calls Laura Calderwood and says Mollie never made it to work at a daycare center. Laura calls the police.

July 20

  • The Facebook group, “Finding Mollie Tibbetts,” was created. It currently has over 40,000 members.
  • Hundreds of people show up in the Brooklyn area to search for Mollie.
  • The Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office announces that tips should directed to its office.
  • The University of Iowa released a statement on Twitter that the school is also monitoring the incident and looking for any helpful information.

July 22

  • Authorities announce Mollie is still missing and that nothing was found during the searches.

July 23

  • Dalton tells ABC he’s optimistic about Mollie’s return.
  • Laura Calderwood says her daughter is an “outgoing, fun, loving life, loving person.”
  • Poweshiek County Sheriff Thomas Kriegel announces that no one from the “tight-knit” community in Brooklyn has been missing this long.

July 25

  • Investigators continue to follow up with tips and leads.
  • The family spreads the search even further by distributing flyers across the state.
  •  Kriegel indicates Mollie could have possibly been abducted.

July 26

  • Investigators search two hog farms after following up on tips, but the searches yield no results.

July 27

  • Iowa Department of Public Safety released a statement announcing that there are still no suspects but authorities will continue to pursue leads and investigate.
  • A neighbor tells a local media outlet that he spotted Mollie “walking nonchalantly” down the street.

Mollie has long brown and brown eyes and weighs around 120 pounds and stands 5-feet-2 inches tall. She was last seen wearing running shoes, a pink sports bra, and dark running shorts.

[Feature Photo: Mollie Tibbetts/Handout]