Truer Crime – Off the Record: Mollie Tibbetts and the Grief They Hijacked

Date: August 18, 2025
Host: Celisia Stanton
Featured Co-Host: Olivia Heusinkfeld

Episode Overview

This special "Off the Record" episode pulls back the curtain on Truer Crime’s coverage of the Mollie Tibbetts case, exploring the complex ethical, social, and emotional challenges involved in telling this story. Host Celisia Stanton and co-producer Olivia Heusinkfeld reflect on why they chose to re-examine this highly politicized case, how media and politicians have used such stories to serve their own agendas, and the deeper impacts this has on victims’ families and immigrant communities. The episode also draws parallels with the Aiden Clark case, discusses the distorted narratives created by selective storytelling, and emphasizes the importance of nuance, empathy, and authenticity in true crime media.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Mollie Tibbetts? Deciding on the Case

Timestamp: 01:57–04:42

• Selection Process:
  • Olivia details how she selects stories—often arriving via listener suggestions, chats with friends, internet deep-dives, or, in this case, a text from her husband with screenshots of Mollie Tibbetts' Wikipedia page.
  • Mollie’s story intrigued Olivia, not just because of the tragedy but also due to its intense media coverage and how it echoed broader societal issues.

"What really stuck out to me about this case... was just the politicization of the case—how it was used by Trump and other Republican figures to force their cause or this issue of immigration." — Olivia Heusinkfeld (03:18)

• Focus on Impact: The podcast aimed to explore not just what happened, but how the national discourse hijacked the grief of Mollie's family.

2. Who Owns a Story? Ethics and Politicization

Timestamp: 04:42–09:20

• Discourse Around National Cases:

  • National stories become stand-ins for bigger issues.
  • Discussion of Tamir Rice’s mother feeling her son’s death was used by activists for their agendas, often neglecting the people most affected.
  • Raises the difficult question: Who do stories belong to?

• Responsibility in Storytelling:

  • Acknowledges the inherent tension of using someone else's tragedy.
  • Commitment to responsible storytelling, forwarding actionable support for the affected communities, rather than simply capitalizing on trauma.

"There is so much you can do to counteract those potential harms... how do you tell a story that is fair, that is nuanced, that is sensitive, and really importantly, how do you direct support?" — Olivia Heusinkfeld (08:32)

3. Narrative Hijacking: The Aiden Clark Case

Timestamp: 10:22–13:16

• Parallels with Aiden Clark:
  • 11-year-old Aiden Clark’s death in a bus crash (Ohio, 2023) similarly politicized by Trump’s campaign and other Republicans to stoke anti-immigration sentiment.
  • Both Aiden’s and Mollie’s families objected to the weaponization of their loved ones' stories.

Notable Quote

"I wish that my son Aiden Clark was killed by a 60-year-old white man. ...the incessant group of hate spewing people would leave us alone. ... The last thing that we need is to have the worst day of our lives violently and constantly shoved in our faces."
— Nathan Clark, Aiden's father (12:00)

4. How Families Experience Narrative Theft

Timestamp: 13:16–19:58

• The Emotional Toll:

  • Families often experience additional pain from public and political co-opting of their tragedy.

• Differing Reactions:

  • Not every family reacts in the same way; some welcome the attention while others feel violated.
  • The core issue is not just who uses the story, but how and why—is it with empathy, consultation, and consent, or merely as political fodder?

• Need for Engagement:

  • Olivia on the importance of engaging with, and listening to, directly affected people before amplifying stories for a broader cause.

"If people are telling you this is not what my loved one would have wanted, that, like, that should be respected..." — Olivia Heusinkfeld (17:45)

5. Truth vs. Narrative—Immigration & Crime

Timestamp: 19:58–25:25

• Challenging Misinformation:

  • The "immigrants are dangerous" narrative, advanced by politicians using these stories, is not backed by data.

• Research Findings:

  • American Immigration Council: From 1990–2013, the share of foreign-born people in the US nearly doubled, while violent crime rates dropped by 48%.
  • Cato Institute: Incarceration rates for undocumented immigrants (excluding immigration offenses) are far lower than for native-born Americans (0.5% vs. 1.53%).

“For native born Americans...an incarceration rate of 1.5%. The rate for undocumented immigrants...is 0.85%. Subtracting immigration offenses, it goes down to 0.5%.” — Olivia Heusinkfeld (23:03)

• Media Amplification:
  • Mainstream news and the popularity of true crime can make rare events feel like broad trends, compounding public fear and misunderstanding.

6. Weaponizing Storytelling: The Robocall Incident

Timestamp: 25:25–34:05

• The Robocall:
  • Infamous, chilling robocalls sent by white nationalist Scott D. Rhodes to residents in Brooklyn, Iowa, using racist, hateful rhetoric and imitating Mollie.
  • 827 calls over three days; tens of thousands across eight states.
  • The harm extended to the Tibbetts family and the immigrant community.

Notable Quote

“Imagine having to listen to somebody imitate your dead daughter's voice saying, ‘kill them all.’ Especially when she didn’t believe in this sort of ideology...”
— Olivia Heusinkfeld (31:40)

• Why Include the Robocall in the Podcast?
  • Olivia debated whether amplifying such hate was necessary, but chose to include it to help listeners confront the harsh realities facing the community.
  • Highlights the intersection of individual bigotry and emboldening political climate.

7. Community, Resilience, and Small Acts of Humanity

Timestamp: 34:05–40:57

• Restorative Moments:
  • The story of Yuli, a son of immigrants who the Tibbetts family took in after Mollie’s death, stands as an example of love triumphing in darkness.

Notable Quote

"There's a moment...Laura and Yuli sitting down for dinner...The TV on. In the background, a news anchor's voice cut through the silence. We simply cannot tolerate the continued invasion of this country. But Laura and Yuli didn't turn it off...they ate and talked about basketball, about the upcoming season. The moment is small but striking. Two humans at the dinner table, both dealing with the weight of their own pain. ...Using what they had left to make something different, but still beautiful."
— Olivia Heusinkfeld (35:36)

• On the Power of Hope:
  • Despite immense grief and public scrutiny, small gestures of compassion—like Laura Calderwood welcoming Yuli—reflect the resilience and agency families retain even when the world tries to define their narrative.

“Grief is...this beautiful thing because it means that you loved somebody, that there is no grief without love. ... For me, it felt like in telling this story, it would be...an insult to Molly's memory to not include this part.”
— Olivia Heusinkfeld (39:05)

8. Supporting Ethical True Crime and Closing Thoughts

Timestamp: 40:57–44:06

• How Listeners Can Support:
  • Listen, share, write reviews, and subscribe to Tenderfoot Plus for early and complete access.
  • The team is continually refining their format for sustainability and depth; listener feedback is essential.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On ‘Narrative Theft’ and Respect:

  "Are we just doing the same thing these people who are capitalizing on Molly's story are doing?...You have to admit as a true crime storyteller...there's an element of using somebody else's story...But...there's so much you can do to counteract those potential harms and...try to minimize those potential harms."
  — Olivia Heusinkfeld (07:16–08:32)

• Nathan Clark’s Raw Grief:

  “One of the worst feelings in the world is to not be able to protect your child. Even worse, we can't even protect his memory when he's gone.”
  — Nathan Clark (12:58)

• On Truth in Crime Statistics:

  “It’s just not really the case that undocumented folks are committing crimes at a higher rate than native born Americans. In fact... native born Americans...are committing crimes at three times the rate an undocumented person is.”
  — Olivia Heusinkfeld (23:26)

• On Including the Robocall:

  “Not playing it would kind of remove an opportunity for listeners to be able to hear it for themselves and, like, sit with how it might feel to get that call...”
  — Olivia Heusinkfeld (29:38–29:51)

Key Takeaways

• Storytelling is Power: The way true crime stories are told—who tells them, with what agenda, and whether they honor the living and the dead—can heal or harm.
• Narratives Can Be Hijacked: Families often experience a second layer of pain when their tragedies are exploited for politics or activism.
• Truth Matters: Politicians and media figures can distort public understandings, but the data on immigration and crime challenges harmful stereotypes.
• Resilience and Compassion: Even amid media storms and political manipulation, families like the Tibbetts and their communities create meaning and justice through personal acts of acceptance and love.

Episode Timeline: Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:57 | Why Mollie Tibbetts?—Story selection rationale | | 04:42 | Who owns a story?—Ethics, family consent, and the politics of storytelling| | 10:22 | The Aiden Clark case—another hijacked tragedy | | 13:16 | Familial reactions and diversity of response to narrative theft | | 19:58 | Immigration/crime mythbusting—what the data says | | 25:25 | The horrific robocall campaign—amplified hate and real impacts | | 35:36 | Yuli’s story—finding beauty in darkness | | 41:32 | Listener Q&A and how to support ethical true crime storytelling |

Final Thoughts

"Off the Record: Mollie Tibbetts and the Grief They Hijacked" is a masterclass in responsible, empathetic true crime storytelling. By centering the humanity of victims and their families, deconstructing dangerous narratives, and insisting on nuance and action, the episode invites listeners to rethink whose stories we tell, why we tell them, and the real-world consequences of getting it wrong—or right.