Fitbit, Cellphone Data Are Aiding Missing Jogger Investigation

BROOKLYN, IA (WCCO) -- Investigators searching for a missing college student in Iowa hope a trail of electronic data will help find her.

Mollie Tibbetts vanished last month after going for a run. Police are hoping that a fitness tracker and cellphone data will provide clues about her whereabouts.

"We're hoping to be able to precisely examine and know where she was, when she was there, the pace she was running, walking, jogging, you know, heart rate, anything that kind of stuff monitors" said Mitch Mortvedt, the assistant director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.

Authorities say Tibbetts was staying at her boyfriend's house dog sitting on the night that she disappeared. Her boyfriend was away on a work trip and is not a suspect. Tibbetts' family has not given up hope on finding her.

"She is out there somewhere and we need to bring her back home," said Kim Calderwood, Tibbett's Aunt.

Police say there is no evidence leading them to believe that Tibbetts ran away from home. Warrants were issued to social media companies to get into the college student's accounts.

As for the Fitbit and cellphone, Police believe the electronics are now turned off or ran out of battery.