When cyclist Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson was murdered in Texas, U.S. Marshals assigned to the case used a unique tactic to track down her suspected killer in Costa Rica and bring the fugitive to justice.

Kaitlin Armstrong is serving 90 years in prison for murdering professional up-and-coming gravel cyclist Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson. It’s a story that drew international headlines because after being suspected of killing Wilson in Texas, Armstrong vanished – seemingly into thin air. The search for the suspected killer sparked what would become an international manhunt – first leading authorities across the United States, and then eventually to the beaches of Costa Rica.

In June 2022, one month after Armstrong disappeared, Deputy U.S. Marshals Damien Fernandez and Emir Perez traveled to Costa Rica. A source told them Armstrong could be hiding out in Santa Teresa. They knew finding Armstrong in the small, tourist-filled village was going to be a challenge – along the way, Armstrong used multiple identities and changed her appearance – even getting plastic surgery.

They hit dead end after dead end. After many intense days of searching for Armstrong with no luck, the U.S. Marshals decided to try one last tactic, hoping that her love of yoga would pay off for them.

“We decided we were gonna put an ad out … or multiple ads for a yoga instructor and see – what would happen,” Perez told “48 Hours” contributor Jonathan Vigliotti.

But after almost a week of hunting, even that didn’t seem to be working. Perez and Fernandez were about to head back to the States, when suddenly they got a break.

  • helenslunch@feddit.nl
    43·
    5 months ago

    A few things here:

    It’s a story that drew international headlines because after being suspected of killing Wilson in Texas, Armstrong vanished – seemingly into thin air.

    That’s not true, and even elaborated on later in the story

    Police worked quickly. That same day, investigators picked Armstrong up on an old warrant for failing to pay for a Botox treatment.

    But investigators had to let Armstrong go. There was a problem — Armstrong’s birthdate didn’t match the date on the warrant, so the warrant wasn’t valid

    So they actually caught her immediately but had to let her go because a police fuck-up.

    Also:

    Det. Marc McLeod: And she’s just kind of sitting there and she’s not showing very much emotion at all. … typically when we see some interviews going on and if you didn’t do it, this is your, like, you’re going to be like, you know, not me, not it. I want out of this room. What do you want to know? … So that you don’t come back looking for me. And there was none of that.

    DETECTIVE CONNER: Is there any explanation as far as why the vehicle would be over there?

    KAITLIN ARMSTRONG: I would like to leave …

    Det. Jonathan Riley: She was almost completely disinterested in — in hearing what the detectives had to say.

    Jonathan Vigliotti: So, it sounds like this is a big red flag immediately?

    Marc McLeod: Oh —

    Jonathan Riley: Oh, absolutely.

    1. Don’t talk to the police.

    2. When you exercise your right to not talk to police, they will assume you’re guilty, so be prepared for that.