Investigators quickly determine that Moriah “Mo” Wilson, shot dead at a friend’s home, was not a random target.
Following a series of interviews, it becomes apparent that Wilson’s previous involvement with Colin Strickland has caused a rift in his current relationship with Kaitlin Armstrong, who works as both a yoga instructor and a real estate agent.
Shortly after being questioned by the police, Armstrong sells her Jeep Grand Cherokee to a CarMax branch in South Austin for $12,000. Subsequently, surveillance footage places the same vehicle in the vicinity of Wilson’s murder. The day after selling the Jeep, Armstrong purchases a flight out of Austin.
Just eight days after the tragic event, authorities establish a connection between Armstrong and the crime. Consequently, a warrant is issued for her arrest. However, it is discovered that she has already left the area by the time the warrant is officially released.
Surveillance footage at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport captures Armstrong boarding a flight to Houston, then on to New York. Investigators track her to New York’s LaGuardia Airport, where she is seen again on surveillance video before seemingly vanishing.
They later trace her to Newark International Airport but find no outbound flights under her name. However, had they looked closely, they might have noticed a young woman with brown hair flying out of Newark using the passport of her sister, who also has brown hair and lives in New York. A check with Homeland Security reveals “Christie Armstrong” left Newark on a one-way flight to Costa Rica.
Armstrong lands in San José, Costa Rica, but does not stay long. She quickly disappears again. A month later, a source reports she may be hiding in Santa Teresa. After days of searching with no success, U.S. Marshals try a new tactic: placing ads for a yoga instructor. After nearly a week, they get a break—someone responds.
An investigator, posing as a tourist, visits a hostel to get a closer look at the woman. She resembles Armstrong but not exactly. As he gets closer, he notices a bandage on her nose and swollen lips, but her eyes remain the same. Investigators now understand why she was so difficult to find—she had undergone plastic surgery.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
Additional Guests
- Josephine Wentzel – Krystal Mitchell’s Mother
- Alexis Tereszcuk – Crime Online.com Investigative Reporter
- Sydney Sumner- Crime Online.com Investigative Reporter
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.
Feature Photo: Mo Wilson/Handout
