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The immigration status of Cristhian Bahena Rivera, the man accused of killing Iowan Mollie Tibbetts, has become the subject of intense dispute in Iowa and across the internet.
Reports from law enforcement and immigration officials, information from court records, and anecdotes from Rivera's employers have helped shape the image of the  24-year-old, who is facing a first-degree murder charge following the discovery of Mollie Tibbetts' body. The 20-year-old University of Iowa student was reported missing after going for a run in Brooklyn, an Iowa town of 1,500.
Back-and-forth claims prompted confusion around Rivera's legal status last week after law enforcement said he is undocumented and subject to a federal immigration detainer. Rivera's defense attorney pushed back Wednesday, citing Yarrabee Farm's use of E-Verify in claiming he is a legal worker.
The next day, the farm owners announced they had not used E-Verify, and knew Rivera by another name.
Here are the facts of Rivera's status:
4 p.m. Tuesday: The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation announced in a news conference that a body believed to be Tibbetts was discovered in Poweshiek County and Rivera, 24, had been charged with murder. Officials at that time indicated that Rivera was in the country illegally.
10 p.m. Tuesday: Yarrabee Farms owners say in a statement they employed Rivera and that he "was vetted through the government's E-Verify system," conveying the idea that he was working in the U.S. legally.
9:27 a.m. Wednesday: Rivera's attorney, Allan M. Richards says in a court motion that Rivera is here legally and that Craig Lang, an owner of Yarrabee Farms, can vouch for that.
What we know about Mollie Tibbetts' accused killer
Man charged in Tibbetts' death was working in Iowa legally, lawyer says. Employer says no
Cristhian Rivera death 'hadn't come across (investigators') radar' until Monday
Rivera worked at a farm owned by a prominent Iowa Republican family
Midday Wednesday: A Register story on Richard's motion goes viral, sparking incendiary debate on political websites.
2:45 p.m. Wednesday: Yarrabee Farms holds a news conference where owners backtrack and say they did not use the E-Verify system. Rivera used fake documents and a false name to gain employment, the farm owners claim. "What we learned within the last 24 hours is that our employee was not who he said he was," Dane Lang said.
4:30 p.m. Wednesday: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman Michael Bars tells USA Today reporter Alan Gomez, "A search of records by USCIS revealed Rivera did not make any DACA requests nor were any grants given. We have found no record in our systems indicating he has any lawful immigration status."
1:05 p.m. Thursday: ICE spokesman Shawn Neudauer tells the Register that "law enforcement remains absolutely confident that we’ve correctly identified the suspect as an illegal alien from Mexico, based both on investigative interviews with him and on records checks."
1:16 p.m. Thursday: The Iowa Department of Transportation says that after reviewing its records, "no Iowa driver's license or credential was issued to Cristhian Bahena Rivera, either under that name or any alternate name bearing his likeness and we have no license history for him."
Thursday afternoon: In a Register interview, Richards, Rivera's lawyer, disputes that his client is in the country illegally, but he does not present new evidence to support that claim. Days later, Richards withdrew from the case.
More coverage of the case:
She's nurturing. She's a Harry Potter fan. We all know Mollie Tibbetts' face, but her friends and family say she's so much more.
What we know about Mollie's abduction
Authorities: Video helped solve mystery of Mollie Tibbetts' disappearance
Man accused of killing appears in court; magistrate sets $5 million bond
Read criminal complaint, arrest warrant for Rivera in the Mollie Tibbetts case
Trump: Tibbetts' death 'should've never happened,' calls immigration laws 'a disgrace'
RELATED:Tibbetts' death resulted from 'multiple sharp force injuries' says medical examiner
MORE:Lawyer chides Trump, says suspect in Mollie Tibbetts' slaying worked in Iowa legally. Not true, says employer
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