Texas murder suspect Kaitlin Armstrong caught in Costa Rica
Fox News contributor Ted Williams discusses the effort by law enforcement to locate Armstrong and security concerns after she used a fake passport to travel out of the country.
Captured fugitive Kaitlin Armstrong, who was wanted in connection to the alleged May 11 murder of 25-year-old cyclist Moriah "Mo" Wilson, is to be held on $3.5 million bond, according to Travis County, Texas, records.
Armstrong, 34, was captured Wednesday in a remote Costa Rican beach town after 43 days on the run following Wilson's shooting death in Austin, Texas.
The Travis County Sheriff's Office said Armstrong was still in Costa Rica as of Saturday morning. Armstrong must also surrender her passport prior to release and be monitored by GPS, according to county records.
KAITLIN ARMSTRONG MURDER SUSPECT: POLICE PHOTO SHOWS DRAMATIC TRANSFORMATION
Austin police questioned and released Armstrong on May 12 before she fled to New York and eventually to Costa Rica, using a passport that was not hers, where she settled into a hostel in Santa Teresa Beach in Provincia de Puntarenas, authorities said.
A new booking photo shows Kaitlin Armstrong from behind, after dying and cutting her hair. The photo to the right shows her appearance before fleeing the country. (U.S. Marshals/Ministerio de Seguridad Pública de Costa Rica)
Wilson is accused of shooting Wilson, one of the country's top gravel cyclists, after the 25-year-old went swimming and grabbed a bite to eat with Armstrong's 35-year-old boyfriend and pro cyclist Colin Strickland on May 11 while she was staying in Austin with a friend for an upcoming bike race in Hico, Texas. Moments after Strickland dropped Wilson off that evening, Armstrong’s SUV appeared on surveillance video outside the home where Wilson was staying, according to police.
Investigators suspect Armstrong allegedly used a pistol that Strickland purchased for her in December 2021 or January 2022 to kill Wilson, according to the arrest warrant.
Investigators suspect Armstrong allegedly used a pistol that Strickland purchased for her in December 2021 or January 2022 to kill Wilson, according to the arrest warrant. (The Wilson Family)
The next day, she sold her black Jeep Grand Cherokee to a CarMax dealership around the corner from her house for $12,200 and flew to New York, the Marshals said.
U.S. Marshals said they knew Armstrong was in Costa Rica after receiving dozens of tips.
She boarded a United Airlines flight May 18 from Newark Liberty International Airport to San José, the country’s capital, authorities said.
U.S. Marshals said they knew Armstrong was in Costa Rica after receiving dozens of tips. (US Marshal Service)
"The Marshals Service elevated the Kaitlin Armstrong investigation to major case status early in this investigation, which likely played a key role in her capture," said U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas Susan Pamerleau in a statement announcing the arrest. "This is an example of combining the resources of local, state, federal and international authorities to apprehend a violent fugitive, bring an end to that run and hopefully a sense of closure to the victim’s family."
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A tipster called cops May 14 to report that Armstrong "became furious and was shaking with anger" after learning about Strickland's and Wilson's relationship, which Strickland described as a brief fling in October 2021 while he and Armstrong had temporarily broken up in a statement the cyclist released following Wilson's death obtained by KVUE reporter Tony Plohetski.
Armstrong also faces a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Fox News' Michael Ruiz and Rebecca Rosenburg contributed to this report.
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