Jul 1, 2022 - News

Authorities capture Austin woman accused of killing pro cyclist

Pro cyclist Moriah "Mo" Wilson was fatally shot in East Austin in May. Kaitlin Armstrong, the Austin woman accused of killing Wilson, was arrested in Costa Rica. Photo courtesy of Life Time

Kaitlin Armstrong, the Austin woman accused of killing pro cyclist Moriah "Mo" Wilson in an East Austin shooting, was arrested in Costa Rica, authorities said Thursday.

Why it matters: The news of Wilson's death in May rattled the city and the pro cycling world, and Armstrong has been on the run for 43 days.

Flashback: Austin police questioned Armstrong, but she "was mistakenly released from custody" because of a paperwork discrepancy involving her birthdate, Det. Richard Spitler said in a news conference in May.

  • She fled Austin just three days after the crime.
  • In an arrest warrant issued May 17, investigators said video surveillance showed a vehicle that Armstrong drives pull up to the residence where Wilson was staying in East Austin.
  • Police responded to a 911 call at the home, where they found Wilson bleeding and unconscious from multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Details: U.S. law enforcement groups worked with Costa Rica authorities to locate and arrest Armstrong on Wednesday at a hostel on Santa Teresa Beach, according to U.S. marshals.

  • Armstrong used a fraudulent passport to board a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to San Jose, Costa Rica, on May 18, authorities said.
  • Officials previously located Armstrong's black Jeep and learned that she sold the vehicle to a CarMax dealership in South Austin and received a check for it the day after talking to authorities.
  • The 34-year-old will be deported and returned to the U.S., officials said.

What they're saying: "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," said Susan Pamerleau, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas.

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